Livorno 3 v 1 Sampdoria

Disaster Strikes Again For Hopeless Samp

Tomas Danilevicius scrored twice for Livorno to defeat a very poor Sampdoria.

Neither side has had a good month, but last week Livorno won 1-0 away to Catania in a relegation dogfight, while Samp held Roma to a goalless draw.

Livorno injuries included Cristiano Lucarelli & Francesco Tavano.
Samp had Stefano Lucchini and Andrea Poli suspended.

Match Action.

Samp started brightly with Antonio Cassano scoring on 15 minutes, which broke a personal goal drought with a splendid solo effort. Cassano ran into the box on Giampaolo Pazzini’s assist and flicked it with the outside of his right foot past Alfonso De Lucia into the far corner.

Angelo Palombo did well to intercept as Danilevicius and Antonio Candreva exchanged passes in the box. Castellazzi was at full stretch to deny a Candreva daisy-cutter off the line, while Danilevicius just failed to make contact with an Antonio Filippini ball across the face of goal.

Livorno equalised 38 minutes in when a Candreva set piece was curled into the six-yard box for Nelson Rivas to nod in at the near post.

After that goal the Livorno fans were a little too excited deciding to throw a flare on to the field, so Coach Serse Cosmi went under the curva to calm them down and avoid further sanctions.

Within 2 minutes of the restart Livorno had turned the game around completely. Raimondi knocked down a cross from the left for Danilevicius to sweep home from six yards.

Just past the hour mark Samp could not have gone closer to an equaliser. Cassano’s ball over the top found Pazzini’s effort that left De Lucia stranded, but it hit the near post and Miglionico cleared the ricochet off the line. Marius Stankevicius nodded close from a corner, but the Lithuanian foolishly received a second yellow card and reduced Sampdoria to 10 men. Moments later Castellazzi used his feet to parry Nico Pulzetti’s downward header off the line.

Sampdoria threatened an equaliser again in extra time, but De Lucia finger tipped Daniele Mannini’s looping effort out from under the bar.

Danilevicius completed his brace and Livorno’s victory. He was unmarked to meet Marchini’s pull-back from the left flank and hammered the shot into the top corner from six yards.

The win gives Livorno three much needed points but adds further misery to Samp’s already frustrated supporters.

Livorno 3 – 1 Sampdoria

Cassano 15 (S), Rivas 38 (L), Danilevicius 46, 93 (L)

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