Sampdoria comes out big victory at the Arena Garibaldi against league leaders Pisagiving a Goodbye early and decisively in hopes of restarting the train for direct promotion.
In front of Pippo Inzaghi’s 3-4-2-1, which again prefers Denmark’s Lind to Bonfanti, Sottil recovers Vulikic in defense, De Paoli deploys to the right and introduces Giordano to the other side, because Ioannou is not on received, giving Coda. back into the squad ‘starting eleven.
In front of an excited stadium and around five hundred Dorian fans who came despite the usual (and obsolete) limits imposed by the observers, there was nothing in the first ten minutes. It is clear that Pisa is a team that controls its strength, waiting for the opponent, even more technical (because Sampdoria, despite everything), to make a misstep.
Serie B 2024/25 | Pisa-Sampdoria
Sampdoria fans Taken from UC Sampdoria official Facebook page
Sampdoria maneuvering the ball slowly and weaving a dense web of passes, at its center always Meulensteen, who is not afraid to play even with the opponent on top. However, there is an impact on accuracy and danger: no ball to play for both strikers, and risk of transfer at high speeds from the opponent. In particular, Tourè goes out in the 16th minute to Vulikic, wooden and static, but it ends badly.
De Paoli fights in his sector with Angori, and often gets the wrong move: he does not cross or run, and on the left Giordano looks too shy and uncomfortable when he has to use the other foot. Akinsanmiro is the only really convincing player from Sampdoria, who often tries to play deep.
Serie B 2024/25 | Pisa-Sampdoria
Leonardo Benedetti-Nicholas Bonfanti Taken from UC Sampdoria official Facebook page
This is the 24th minute: Coda chases a clearance from the defense and is forced to stop, touching his leg. Probably a muscle problem for him, which in any case already appeared tired for a few days. Inside Borini, and white-circle players who seem to move to the front three, with Tutino in the middle, the new arrival on the left and Akinsanmiro on the right, higher than the midfielders.
The game fades away: Pisa takes no initiative, Sampdoria finds no opening. In the 32nd minute Tourè, among the best in the first half, showed his depth again, but Piccinini arrived late on his low cross and Romagnoli was able to clear the ball in the corner.
Sottil’s team shows up: in the 35th minute Giordano is inspired correctly on the left and sends an interesting cross into the center, which releases the home defense with some difficulty.
Good in the 38th minute comes the episode that really launches the game. From a free kick the ball comes towards him LindMeulensteen can’t be free, he tries Kasami lands a left but Lind hits himself in the facewho sends the ball into the net completely involuntarily.
Unfortunately, in the last two years we have seen far too many strange goals from the back: wrong throws, errors by the goalkeeper, exits below bordering on suicide … Silly and talented goals, which – unlike those achieved with meaningful plays – creating anxiety and undermining certainty. Just to say, from that moment Meulensteen disappears from the game, and he was certainly one of the best.
Fortunately, Moreo does not take advantage of this distraction and two minutes after the goal he goes alone after a smooth shot from Vulikic, whose return, however, causes him to hit the net without coordination: the ball on the outside of the net.
There is a bit of a reaction: Akinsanmiro, the best from distance, stops a ball on the boundary gracefully and unleashes a wonderful right-footed shot that ends just wide, with Semper beaten.
At the break, therefore, Pisa was leading without particular merit, in a completely balanced game, but with Sampdoria too lacking in the sixteen meters that the opponents had. But those expecting Pedrola’s immediate entry will be proven wrong.
However, Sampdoria started much better in the second half: after two turns Tutino receives from Kasami inside the area, controls and shoots with accuracy but not with the same efficiency: Semper blocks.
The biancocerchiati ends, however, in the 52nd minute: Lind Tramoni trips in transition, the course - up to that point among the worst, together with Moreo – hits the near post and Vismara is left unable to pass. 2-0 wide for the hostsbut this is also how you win.
Sampdoria are not happy with it: a reaction from the gut rather than from the head, so much so that the best scoring opportunity goes through the legs of Romagnoli, who first recovers, imposes and then finishes a sub, to the left. turn a foot that rises over the crossbar.
Entrano Pedrola and Sekulov, with Kasami and De Paoli: Sampdoria are unbalanced but, admittedly, they prove. In the 61st minute Tutino receives a shot from Pedrola in the area, he could shoot several times after freeing himself, but when he does he misses the ball a lot, showing a personal moment that was happy.
Inzaghi eliminates the authors of the two goals, Lind and Tramoni, introducing Bonfanti and Hojholt. Pisa is suffering but she keeps at it. In the 70th minute Borini went wide from a difficult position, Semper blocked, and two minutes later Pedrola showed a flash of his class coming in from the left and unleashing a superb right-footed shot, which finished just short of him the defensive goal. at the Croatian goalkeeper.
Inzaghi changes again, getting rid of Piccinini and Moreo for Abigaard and Mlakar. Captain Caracciolo would also ask for a change, but Inzaghi doesn’t hear us. Akinsanmiro, again, goes behind in the 80th minute after a perfect slalom. His cross also goes past Semper, but Tutino, with an empty net, doesn’t have the malice to push a very comfortable ball into the net.
Sottil tries everything: Vulikic and Giordano out, Benedetti and La Gumina in, for a five-point attack. A move that says a lot about the management of the team: simple spontaneity – all the attackers available on the field at the same time - which clearly indicates how one is guided by extemporaneousness, without a technical plan.
In the only sortie of the last half hour, Pisa passes againto make the liabilities heavier (perhaps extremely important), but to make it clear in a transient way that the road built by Sampdoria does not know. With a long measure to alleviate the situation, the biancocerchiati are seen to be poorly placed on the pitch, and not without reason, given the tactical difficulties: Tourè supports Angori who is located on the edge, who aims and puts the left foot right Vismara.
There is nothing left to say about the game, which has been leaning towards the Tuscans for some time, and just for the notebook we note a nice turn of La Gumina neutralized by Semper and an effort from the excellent Tourè, a foil in the corner by Vismara, as well like a squabble between Bereszynski and Marin that cost both yellow cards.
A terrible victorybecause it has culminated in a real counter-performance. Ironically, in the second half in which Sampdoria came close four or five times to the goal that would restart the game, it was precisely there that we saw the little that this team can give and do today: sharp attacks and pressure , lack of real schemes, clumsy execution (helps, crosses and goal conclusions above all).
It feels like a team where the quality of the individuals is much higher than what can be seen on the field, and here it seems that the responsibilities of the technician are enormous. Also in view of the sometimes strange assertions pre the race of the post.
Let’s be clear, Pisa didn’t mind that much: they got the advantage literally, double at the start of the second half when they seemed to be in trouble, and little else. But he brought the idea of a team, of a collective, of unity. The opposite of Sampdoria is probably stronger, but extremely capable of looking much worse.
Pisa-Sampdoria 3-0 Serie B 2024-25
Pisa (3-4-2-1): Always 6.5; Rus 6, Caracciolo 6.5, Canestrelli 6 (87′ Calabresi ng); Tourè 7, Marin 7, Piccinini 6 (73′ Abilgaard ng), Angori 7; More 5.5 (73′), Tramoni 6 (65′ Hojholt 6); Lind 7 (65′ N. Bonfanti 6). All. F. Inzaghi 7.5.
Sampdoria (3-5-2): Vismara 5.5; Bereszynski 6, Romagnoli 5.5, Vulikic 5 (82′ Benedetti ng); De Paoli 5 (60′ Sekulov 5.5), Akinsanmiro 6, Meulensteen 5, Kasami 5 (65′ Pedrola 6), Giordano 5.5 (82′ La Gumina ng); Code (24′ Borini 5), Instructor 4.5. Thin aluminum 4 .
Referee: Pairetto (Del Giovane/Pagliardini – Sfira – Maresca/Pezzuto) 6.
Rarely: 38′ Lind, 52′ Tramoni, 85′ Angori.
Corners 2-5
Booked: Canestrelli, Borini, Bereszynski, Marin.
Recovery time: 2′ and 3′
Out poorly). Pisa, on the other hand, took advantage of their opportunities, showing that sometimes solid defense coupled with a touch of luck can earn results even without dominating the play.
The match ended with a 3-0 win for Pisa, a disappointing outcome for Sampdoria, who although showcased moments of potential, were ultimately unable to convert chances into goals. The defeat leaves them in a precarious position, needing to re-evaluate both their tactics and player performances as the season progresses.
It’s worth noting how crucial the next fixtures will be for Sampdoria as they seek to regain form and confidence. The adjustments made by the coaching staff, particularly in attacking strategies, may be the key to turning their season around before it slips further away. Fans will be eager to see how the team responds in their upcoming games, hoping for a resurgence that can reignite their campaign in Serie B.