Sampdoria off the mark with surprise win at Fiorentina

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:13 am

Sampdoria, beaten in their first two Serie A games of the season, broke their duck when a penalty from veteran Fabio Quagliarella and a late goal from Valerio Verre gave them a 2-1 win at Fiorentina on Friday.

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The hosts should have taken an early lead but Christian Kouame, unmarked at the far post, contrived to fire wide from Giacomo Bonaventura's cross.

Sampdoria, having gone close when Fiorentina's Gaetano Castrovilli turned the ball onto his own crossbar, went ahead three minutes before halftime with a penalty won and converted by 37-year-old Quagliarella.

Dusan Vlahovic levelled with a clinical finish in the 72nd minute but Sampdoria continued to look dangerous.

Morten Thorsby had a goal ruled out for handball for the visitors following a VAR review before Verre scored the winner with a clever chip seven minutes from time.

Federico Chiesa hit the post for Fiorentina with the last kick of the game to leave both teams with three points from three games.