Soriano, Cassano and Lazaros floor Hellas as Samp record first away win of season

It was the away win we’d been all been waiting for. For 300 days, in fact. The last time Sampdoria tasted success away from Marassi was in May last year, a 1-4 victory at Udinese. Today Roberto Soriano, Antonio Cassano and Lazaros Christodoulopoulos struck first-half goals against Hellas Verona to earn our first three points on the road this season, much to the joy of the 2000 travelling Blucerchiati fans.

Samp were on the front foot from the off and the match was barely five minutes old when Cassano – coming in for Joaquin Correa – threaded a ball through to Fabio Quagliarella in the danger zone. The veteran striker’s finish was pushed away by Pierluigi Gollini but only as far as Soriano, allowing the Italy midfielder to stroke the loose ball into the empty net. It was his eighth goal of the season, a new personal best.

Five minutes later Doria were two up. Mohamed Fares got himself in a tangle and Quagliarella gratefully seized the opportunity to bear down on goal, sidestep the onrushing Gollini and shoot. It came off the keeper and hit the bar but fell conveniently for Cassano to touch in the rebound.

Luca Toni went close down the other end but Lazaros Christodoulopoulos was the next name on the scoresheet. The former Verona man opened his Doria account with a wonderful display of technique, volleying home Lorenzo De Silvestri’s cross on the spin.

If the first half was awash with attacking verve, the second was much more of a tactical affair as Montella made the changes needed to defend Doria’s three-goal cushion.

Luis Muriel was introduced late on and Andrea Ranocchia almost added a fourth in stoppage time but the defender nodded just the wrong side of the upright.

Three goals, two straight wins and now one away victory for Sampdoria this season. They’ll have the chance to add a second when they travel to Empoli next Saturday.

Hellas Verona 0
Sampdoria 3
Goals: Soriano 6, Cassano 11, Christodoulopoulos 30.

Hellas Verona (4-4-2): Gollini; Pisano, Moras, Helander, Fares (Gilberto 28); Wszolek, Ionita, Marrone, Siligardi (J. Gomez 56); Rebic (Romulo 70), Toni.
Subs not used: Coppola, Marcone, Samir, Albertazzi, Jankovic, Furman, Greco, Bianchetti, Emanuelson.
Coach: Luigi Delneri.

Sampdoria (3-4-2-1): Viviano; Cassani, Ranocchia, Moisander; De Silvestri, Fernando, Soriano (Barreto 74), Christodoulopoulos (Silvestre 57); Alvarez, Cassano (Muriel 78); Quagliarella.
Subs not used:: Puggioni, Brignoli, Rodriguez, Dodô, Pereira, Palombo, Krsticic, Diakité, Skriniar.
Coach: Vincenzo Montella.

Referee: Cervella (Taranto).
Assistants: Passeri (Gubbio) and Valeriani (Ravenna).
Fourth official: Lo Cicero (Brescia).
Additional assistants: Rocchi (Florence) and Illuzzi (Molfetta).

Booked: Christodoulopoulos 3, Marrone 12, Fernando 63, Gilberto 44, Ranocchia 75.
Added time: 1+3 minutes.
Pitch: poor.