Serie A – Match Review: Juventus versus Sampdoria
The pressure was on Juventus after their loss to Brescia in the opening match of their Serie A season. Del Neri’s team had to get a result against Sampdoria otherwise the cruel Italian media would be out for him with their sharpened knives once again.
The match which took place at Stadio Olimpico was a highly entertaining battle between Juventus and Sampdoria. There was more than a win ridding on this match, as Juventus’s new coach Del Neri previously used to manage Sampdoria, thus this fixture was a crucial one with regard to his reputation as well.
Del Neri went with experienced strikers in his Juventus side as Del Piero played alongside Quagliarella in his club’s attack. In midfield, Alberto Aquilani failed to get a starting position because Del Neri opted for Marchisio and Felipe Melo in central midfield with Milos Krasic and Pepe as his team’s wide men. At the back, Giorgio Chiellini was tasked with organizing the Juventus defence, which consisted of De Ceglie and Motta at full back positions while Bonucci played in central defence with Chiellini.
Alberto Aquilani, Manninger, Z. Grygera, V. Iaquinta, N. Legrottaglie, L. Rinaudo and D. Lanzafame had to be content with a place on the bench for the Italian giants.
Alternatively, Sampdoria adopted an unorthodox formation of 4-1-3-2 as Cassano and Pozzi took up their positions as strikers, behind them the midfield three included of F. Semioli, D. Dessena and V. Koman. The Genoa club deployed Palombo as their defensive enforcer just in front of the back four which was made up of L. Zauri, D. Gastaldello, S. Lucchini and R. Ziegler. Substitute’s bench for Sampdoria included the likes of Da Costa, Volta, Cacciatore, Padalino, Obiang, Mannini, Marilungo.
In the goal posts for Del Neri’s previous side was G. Curci. Juventus were without their regular goalkeeper Gigi Buffon; therefore they used their second choice goal keeper M. Storari. The match was set up as a brilliant battle as from the start of the match it seemed as if Sampdoria were organized to play on the counter attack rather than grab control of the game and dictate play. Sampdoria almost drew first blood in the 5th minute of the match as Cassano failed to make contract with Dessena’s cross from the right side of Sampdoria’s midfield.
In the 20th minute of the match, Felipe Melo was caught out in central midfield and Sampdoria attacked but their striker Pozzi could not provide a clinical finish to a blistering link up from the midfield. Cassano soon after had a good chance as well but Juve’s keeper denied the former Roma striker from it. The first goal of the match came quite predictably through Cassano. The ex-Real Madrid man pulled off to the left side of Sampdoria’s attack and played a fine cross field pass to Pozzi who slotted the ball home from just outside of Juve’s penalty area in the 36th minute of the match. Eventually all throughout the first half, Juventus’s defence looked uncomfortable when they were dealing with Cassano.
Before the first half came to a conclusion, Juventus mounted a successful attack of their own as Krasic laid off a header to Marchisio, who timed his midfield run perfectly as the Italian blasted the ball into the roof of the Sampdoria net at the 43rdminute mark.
Right after the second half kicked off, Juventus looked the sharper of the two teams and soon took the lead after confusion emerged in Sampdoria’s defensive line inside their own penalty area due to a brilliant cross by Krasic. Pepe got the final touch on the ball as he gave his club side a 2-1 lead over Sampdoria in the 50th minute of the second half.
In the 64th minute, Sampdoria drew level against the run of play as once again Cassano took up a clever position; he received the pass from Dessena and produced a glorious half volley to rifle the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Juventus’s goal keeper did get a touch but it was a weak one as Sampdoria brought the score line to 2-2.
However, Juve were not to be deterred by Sampdoria’s equalizer as Pepe tried his luck on goal with a grounded shot in the 67th minute of the second half. The Italian international’s shot came off the post but fell straight to Quagliarella, who finished off the move with a clean tap in putting Juve in ascendency. The end to end excitement continued as it was now Sampdoria’s turn again to pull back a goal, Pozzi scored with a firm header in the 72nd minute of the match.
Eventually the match ended at the score line of 3-3, something that meant that Juventus still have to get their first three points of the season, whereas it was a matter of one point gained rather than two lost for their opponents, Sampdoria.
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