Samp beaten 3-1 by SPAL on final day

Samp slumped to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of SPAL on Sunday as their Serie A season finished with a whimper at the Stadio Paola Mazza.

The match got off to the worst possible start for Marco Giampaolo’s men, as SPAL were awarded a penalty in just the second minute of the game after Gianluca Caprari was penalised for handball. Mirco Antenucci stepped up and – though Vid Belec guessed the right way – fired home for 1-0.

Samp set about steadying the ship and did so with some success for the next half an hour, with Caprari, Leonardo Capezzi and Dennis Praet all enjoying chances to level the scores. Yet the Blucerchiati’s efforts were about to come undone as Caprari – booked for that handball early on – was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Felipe, leaving Giampaolo’s side to play the remaining hour with ten men.

Doria made it to half time, but the numerical advantage was to prove decisive after the break. Alberto Grassi headed home for the hosts on 50 minutes to make it 2-0, and with Samp reeling Antenucci popped up just two minutes later to fire past Belec for 3-0.

The travelling Samp fans did have something to celebrate on 66 minutes, as young Polish striker Dawid Kownacki fired home from the edge of the box to make it 3-1.

Alberto Paloschi looked to have added a fourth for SPAL in the second minute of added time, but VAR ruled the goal out to the relief of those in the Doria ranks.

The result means Sampdoria finish the season in tenth place on 54 points.

SPAL 3-1 Samp (HT: 1-0)
Scorers: Antenucci pen. 5, 52, Grassi 50, Kownacki 66.

SPAL (3-5-2): Gomis (Marchegiani 90+1); Simic, Vicari, Felipe; Lazzari (F. Costa 58), Kurtic, Viviani (Schiattarella 78), Grassi, Mattiello; Antenucci, Paloschi.
Subs not used: Polizzi, Bonazzoli, Floccari, Vaisanen, Esposito, Schiavon, Vitale, Drame, Russo.
Coach: Leonardo Semplici.

Sampdoria (4-3-1-2): Belec; Bereszynski, Andersen, Regini, Murru; Praet, Capezzi (Verre 80), Linetty; Ramirez (Quagliarella HT); Kownacki, Caprari.
Subs not used: Krapikas, Tozzo, Alvarez, Ferrari, Strinic, Silvestre, Torreira.
Coach: Marco Giampaolo.

Referee: Di Bello.
Assistants: Tonolini, La Rocca.
Fourth official: Ros.
VAR: Manganiello, Longo.

Yellow cards: Caprari 2, Linetty 45, Quagliarella 74 Viviani 76.
Red cards: Caprari 33 (second bookable offence).

Added time: 4 + 3 minutes.