Empoli-Sampdoria 1-0, Ebuehi sends the blucerchiati ever further down. The Var cancels Colley’s draw in the 97th minute. Lanna: “If they want us in B, let them know”

The path towards the salvation of Sampdoria is getting more and more uphill. The Sampdoria suffer their seventh defeat in the last 8 matchdays at Empoli and remain -7 from third from bottom. On the other hand, Zanetti’s men smiled and scored the fourth useful result in a row and hooked Bologna in 11th position. A doubly bitter knockout for Samp who saw Colley’s equalizing goal canceled by referee Santoro in the 97th minute after a long review at the Var for a hand ball by Gabbiadini.

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Ebuehi breaks his balance at the start of the second half

Empoli plays the game right from the start and scares Audero with ex Caputo (2) and with Akpa Akpro, Ebuehi and Satriano. Sampdoria suffers but replies by wasting two good opportunities with Vieira, who does not take advantage of a gift from Vicario and with Leris who heads the crossbar from Augello’s cross. In the second half, opened by an opportunity for each side (Satriano and Vieira), Empoli insisted and broke the deadlock in the 55th minute: from a corner from Marin’s left, Ebuehi jumped higher even than Audero and headed in. Sampdoria feels the pinch and risks being doubled by another header from Ebuehi and a left foot from Caputo that engages Audero.

Ismajli ko, Empoli closes in 10. Lammers post

Stankovic’s substitutions (Winks, Zanoli and Sabiri for Amione, Leris and Verre) revived Sampdoria who once again called Vicario into question with Sabiri himself and with Djuricic. Empoli didn’t stand by and in the throw-in they went close to the target again with the unleashed Caputo. Everything happens in the end. Sampdoria tries with Zanoli (right-footed from outside just below) and Gabbiadini (shot instinctively rejected by Vicario) then besieges the opponent’s goal taking advantage of an Empoli forced to close in 10 from the 87th minute due to the injury in Ismajli when the substitutions are over. Vicario was still super in the 89th minute when he deflected a right-footed shot from Lammers onto the post.

Colley’s goal canceled in the 97th minute due to a touch by Gabbiadini

In the last minute of added time (97′) here is the offending episode that will cause a lot of discussion: on a free-kick by Gabbiadini, Colley with his header commits Vicario from a few steps away; on the continuation of the action Gabbiadini falls with one hand on the ball after a borderline contact with Luperto and accommodates the ball to Audero, who has thrown himself into the attack: pass to Zanoli who dissociates Colley who with a diagonal right punches. Santoro first validates then, on the recommendation of the Var, cancels amid the protests of the Dorians who would have wanted at least the penalty for the Luperto-Gabbiadini contact.

Lanna: “The referee class say if they want us in B”

“It is yet another refereeing wrong against us, the refereeing class tell us if we have to go to Serie B, in the case we will act accordingly. Also last Sunday against Napoli we were given a penalty against and we never had any one in favour. Tonight the referee whistled for a hand ball when Gabbiadini was pushed”. The president of Sampdoria, Marco Lanna, told Sky. “If the referees want to put us in trouble, they should tell us – added Lanna – We are all very angry, this year we have suffered many episodes against us, I don’t want to think of a plan but there are too many things that don’t add up”.

EMPOLI 1-0 SAMPDORIA
Empoli (4-3-1-2): Vicar; Ebuehi (32′ st Stojanovic), Ismajli, Luperto, Parisi; Akpa Akpro (40′ st Fazzini), Marin, Bandinelli (17′ st Haas); Baldanzi (17′ st Pjaca); Caputo, Satriano (32′ st Cambiaghi). (1 Perisan, 22 Ujkani, 3 Cacace, 4 Walukiewicz, 6 De Winter, 8 Henderson, 17 Ekong, 20 Degli Innocenti, 10 Bajrami). All.: Zanetti.
Sampdoria (3-5-2): Audero; Amione (17′ st Winks), Nuytinck, Colley; Leris (17′ st Zanoli), Verre (17′ st Sabiri), Vieira (24′ st Paoletti), Djuricic, Augello; Lammers, Gabbiadini. (22 Turk, 30 Ravaglia, 21 Murillo, 28 Yepes, 34 Montevago). Herds: Stankovic.
Referee: Santoro of Messina.
Networks: 10′ st Ebuhei.
Corners: 3-3.
Recovery: 2′ and 6′ (played until 103′).
Ammonite yourself: Mehdi Léris (L), Vieira (S), Marin (E), Ismajli (E), Sabiri (S) for foul play; Gabbiadini (S), Parisi (E), Stojanovic (E), Vicario (E), Djuricic (S), Audero (S) for non-regulatory behavior.
Spectators: 10,364 (subscribers 6,513), proceeds 70,080 euros (subscribers’ share 37,212).