Quagliarella bags brace in 3-3 thriller in Parma

On a rainy Sunday afternoon where the bond between the Sampdoria and Parma fans was being celebrated, those in the stands at the Tardini were treated to a thrilling spectacle, as the two sides played out a back and forth contest ending in a 3-3 draw.

Parma were fast out of the starting blocks and broke the deadlock with just over one minute on the clock. Gervinho got in behind the Samp defence and showed some rapid footwork before cutting the ball back from the by-line for Marcello Gazzola to finish from close range.

Just after the 25-minute mark Samp were awarded a penalty, for a hand-ball that was spotted in a VAR review. Fabio Quagliarella made no mistake from 12 yards, sending Luigi Sepe the wrong way and making it 1-1. Doria did not let up and managed to take the lead before the half-time interval. Jakub Jankto saw his effort saved by Sepe after a surging run forward, only for Gregoire Defrel to tap home the rebound.

With 15 minutes played in the second period, Quagliarella bagged his second of the game and Samp’s third. Praet won the ball high up the pitch before playing it to the Samp captain, who finished low past Sepe from inside the area to make it 3-1.

The away side appeared to be in the ascendancy but it took less than five minutes for their two-goal advantage to disappear. Parma were awarded a penalty for Omar Colley’s trip on Luca Siligardi, which was converted by Juraj Kucka on 68 minutes. Just moments later Parma hauled themselves level, when Alessandro Bastoni fired into the goal after Emil Audero failed to hold Simone Iacoponi’s header.

If six goals weren’t enough for the fans who turned out in Parma there were also two red cards in the final stages. Colley picked up a second yellow on 88 minutes after catching Bruno Alves with a flailing arm, while Kucka was given his marching orders in stoppage time, again for second bookable offence.

The 3-3 draw was certainly high on incident and entertainment but it will be result that disappoints Marco Giampaolo and his players, with Samp having seen their two-goal lead vanish in such rapid fashion. Next weekend the team welcomes Empoli to the Marassi.

Parma 3-3 Sampdoria (HT: 1-2)

Scorers: Gazzola 2, Quagliarella 28 (pen), Defrel 38; Quagliarella 61, Kucka 67 (pen), Bastoni 71.

Parma (5-3-2): Sepe; Gazzola, Iacoponi, B. Alves, Bastoni, Dimarco; Kucka, Scozzarella (Stulac 87), Barillà (Sprocati 46); Ceravolo (Siligardi 65), Gervinho.
Subs not used: Frattali, Brazao, Sierralta, Machin, Gobbi, L. Rigoni, Dezi.
Coach: D’Aversa.

Sampdoria (4-3-1-2): Audero; Bereszynski, Ferrari, Colley, Murru; Praet, Ekdal, Jankto; Defrel (Caprari 77); Gabbiadini (Barreto 58), Quagliarella.
Subs not used: Rafael, Belec, Vieira, Saponara, Farabegoli, Linetty, Sau, Tavares.
Coach: Giampaolo.

Referee: Fabbri (Ravenna).
Assistants: Passeri (Gubbio) and Margani (Latina).
Fourth official: Rapuano (Rimini).
VAR: Aureliano (Bologna).
Assistant VAR: Aureliano (Bologna).

Red cards: Colley 88, Kucka 90+1.
Yellow cards: Colley 4, Barilla 23, Dimarco 28, Kucka 60, Barreto 80.
Added time: 2 + 3 minutes.