Late Soriano strike not enough, Atalanta deserved winners

It was a chance to build on last week’s win over Roma with a positive result on the road but sadly Sampdoria weren’t up to the task as Atalanta took all three points in Bergamo tonight.

An early defensive error set Walter Zenga’s men on their way to a second consecutive away defeat and they never managed to recover.

Seven minutes into the game Dramé fired a low ball into the box, Moisander tried to hoof clear but ended up slicing it past a helpless Viviano into the corner of the net.

Samp looked to hit back instantly through Eder but Sportiello was equal to it, then minutes later Gomez went closer still when he flashed an effort inches wide down the other end.

Atalanta began the second half in lively fashion with Denis (who had replaced the injured Pinilla) looking particularly dangerous, yet it was Soriano with a brilliantly struck effort who drew the biggest gasps from the crowd as well as a stunning one-handed full-stretch stop from Sportiello.

The hosts kept things tight and doubled their lead through Denis in injury time before Soriano scored a late, late consolation goal with a neat finish following Barreto’s pull-back.

Atalanta 2
Sampdoria 1
Goals: Moisander 7 (og), Denis 90+2, Soriano 90+4.

Atalanta (4-3-3): Sportiello; Bellini, Toloi, Paletta, Dramé; Kurtic (Cigarini 74), De Roon, Grassi (Migliaccio 62); M. Morález, Pinilla (Denis 32), A. Gómez.
Subs not used: Radunovic, Bassi, A. Masiello, D’Alessandro, A. Conti, Cherubin, Kresic, Monachello, Raimondi.
Manager: Edoardo Reja.

Sampdoria (4-3-1-2): Viviano; Pereira (Carbonero 78), Moisander, Zukanovic, Mesbah; Barreto, Fernando, Soriano; Correa (Rocca 61); Eder, Muriel (Cassano 70).
Subs not used: Puggioni, Brignoli, Rodriguez, Bonazzoli, Palombo, Regini, Krsticic, Ivan.
Manager: Walter Zenga.

Referee: Valeri (Roma 2).
Assistants: Manganelli (Valdarno) and Liberti (Pisa).
Fourth official: Padovan (Conegliano).
Additional assistants: Cervellera (Taranto) and Serra (Turin)

Booked: Fernando 27, Paletta 57, Mesbah 59, De Roon 66, Zukanovic 83, Migliaccio 88.
Added time: 2+3 minutes.
Season ticket holders: 10,529 (€149,019). Paying spectators: 5,227 (€68,429).
Pitch: Not great condition.