Young guns fire Doria home, Rocca and Serinelli with the goals

Sampdoria battled back from a goal down to beat Savona by two goals to one at the Bacigalupo this afternoon, despite still trailing the home side with five minutes to go. The friendly match proved another good test for Walter Zenga’s lads, with the hosts desperate to secure a confidence-boosting win ahead of the start of the Lega Pro season.

The Blucerchiati began in a hurry, carving out two clear-cut chances in the first ten minutes through Krsticic and Bonazzoli, while Savona replied with one of their own through Gagliardi. The home side had two penalty appeals turned down, and while Cassano was a constant hub of creativity there was no breakthrough from either side. On 33 minutes, Christodoulopoulos worked Falcone with a stinging right-footed shot from distance, but it was to be the last chance of the half.

Savona took the lead on 55 minutes, with Dell’Agnello alert in the box to sweep home an assist from Clematis. Samp’s response was a little while coming, but five minutes from the end Rocca converted a Christodoulopoulos assist to make it 1-1. Smelling blood, Zenga’s men went in for the kill, and it was Serinelli who finished off the home side on 89 minutes to ensure a Sampdoria victory.

Savona 1-2 Sampdoria (HT: 0-0)
Scorers: Dell’Agnello 55, Rocca 85, Serinelli 89.

Savona (4-3-1-2): Falcone; Antonelli, Negro, Rossini, Vannucci; Steffè, Costantini, Speranza; Gagliardi; Dell’Agnello, Virdis.
Subs: Cincilla, Cabeccia, Pinton, Clematis, Lomolino, Boggian, Cocuzza, Vittori, Romney, Conti, Aslanay, Preci, Giovinco.
Coach: Giancarlo Riolfo.

Sampdoria (4-3-1-2): Brignoli (Puggioni HT); Christodoulopoulos, Varga (Defilippi 63), Zukanovic (Tissone HT), Mesbah; Carbonero, Rocca, Krsticic (Calò HT); Correa (Serinelli HT); Bonazzoli, Cassano (Vrioni 63).
Coach: Walter Zenga.