Chievo 0 : 0 Sampdoria - Samp slump continues

Posted Sunday, April 03, 2011 by PA

Sampdoria ended a four-game losing run at fellow strugglers Chievo but the point from a lifeless goalless draw will hardly inspire confidence that they can pull away from the relegation zone.

Samp have now failed to score in six of their past seven games and looked devoid of ideas again with Massimo Maccarone missing their best chance before being substituted.

In the end both sides were indebted to the profligacy of the other with Chievo, who themselves have gone goalless in four of their past five matches, offering little to entertain their home fans.

Chievo are, however, better placed than Samp who sit just two points above the drop zone and with a crucial home match against Lecce, a point behind them, up next they could slip into the bottom three next weekend.

Samp goalkeeper Gianluca Curci was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the opening period, although he was never unduly troubled.

Curci was called into action but his save from Davide Moscardelli's effort from the edge of the area was routine before Nicola Pozzi shot high over at the other end.

Curci made another comfortable save from a Mariano Boglaicino free-kick before watching Moscardelli and Sergio Pellissier shooting wide before the break.

Samp showed some ingenuity after the resumption, mainly thanks to winger Daniele Mannini who threatened a goal when he rounded a couple of defenders on 52 minutes only to shoot wildly.

Mannini's good play should have been rewarded soon after when he delivered a low cross that Maccarone somehow managed to get the final touch on with the goal gaping.

Substitute Jonathan Biabiany then saw his close-range header skim the right-hand post but Samp's spell of pressure was short-lived as their attacking threat faded away.

Chievo, though, were unable to conjure up a winning moment with Moscardelli curling a 25-yard free-kick wide and substitute Fernando Uribe shooting narrowly over from the edge of the area.