Juve, Samp in six-goal thriller

Juve’s bid to finally kickstart their season was kept in check by Sampdoria in a six-goal thriller yesterday that prompted questions about both sides’ title winning capacities.

Claudio Marchisio, Simone Pepe and Fabio Quagliarella scored for the hosts while a brace from Nicola Pozzi and one from Antonio Cassano earned Sampdoria a point that keeps them among the leaders.

Juve have yet to win this season and are hovering just above the drop zone.

In a pulsating end-to-end contest neither side showed the kind of solidity necessary to fight for the scudetto but there was more than enough evidence that they will entertain fans this season.

Juventus had a couple of early half chances but it was Sampdoria who had the clearer first-half opportunities.

On 21 minutes Felipe Melo slipped in midfield with the ball bouncing off Angelo Palombo and sending Pozzi through one-on-one with Marco Storari who stood up strong and tipped the forward’s shot around the post.

Cassano then cut in from the left and got behind the defence with only Storari in front of him but poked his effort straight at the keeper. A minute later, however, Samp deservedly took the lead as Cassano sent a ball across the box and Pozzi arrived on the edge of the area to drill in a crisp low shot.

Juve were quick to hit back and two minutes before the break they were level as Milos Krasic headed the ball into the danger area and Marchisio crashed home a shot with the outside of his right boot.

Just five minutes after the restart the turnaround was complete as Krasic crossed from the right and Daniele Gastaldello stuck out a boot but diverted the ball towards goal with Gianluca Curci making a fine one handed-save, only for Pepe to tap home the loose ball.

Juve were threatening to run away with this. Krasic beat his man on the right and outstripped the defence but Curci came out to make a smothering save before Quagliarella lobbed the rebound over.

On 67 minutes, Samp fashioned a well-worked goal as Palombo chipped over the defence for Cassano to finish first-time from an angle. However, just three minutes later, Juve were ahead again as Pepe’s shot beat Curci at his near post only to rebound off the upright and fall to Quagliarella to tap home from inside the six-yard box.

And yet Samp hit back again. Substitute Guido Marilungo crossed for Pozzi to head home his second as Juve’s defence stood ball-watching.

Chievo, meanwhile, are the unlikely early pace-setters as they won 3-1 away to Genoa despite going a goal down. Chievo coach Stefano Pioli insisted, however, he is focused on avoiding relegation.

“We need to get to 40 points as quickly as possible, that’s our aim,” he said.

“Genoa created problems for us but we knew how to make the difference, I’m very satisfied.”

This is not the first time Chievo have led Serie A having topped the table for six consecutive weeks in their top flight debut season in 2001/02.

That season they secured their highest ever finish of fifth place and became known as the ‘Chievo miracle’.

Fellow minnows Bari could have joined Chievo at the top of the standings on six points but in the end had to settle for a 2-2 draw away at Napoli in the evening match.

Paolo Cannavaro looked to have given Napoli the points when putting his team 2-1 up on 87 minutes after Edinson Cavani had cancelled Paulo Vitor Barreto’s opener for the visitors. However, Jose Castillo equalised on the stroke of time to earn Bari a deserved point.

Serie A - Next Fixtures

Saturday: 18.00 - Fiorentina vs Lazio; 20.45 - Milan vs Catania.
Sunday: 12.30 - Bari vs Cagliari. 15.00 - Cesena vs Lecce; Chievo vs Brescia; Palermo vs Inter; Parma vs Genoa; Roma vs Bologna; Udinese vs Juventus. 20.45 - Sampdoria vs Napoli.