Viviano in inspired form against wasteful Lazio, Fernando and Diakite secure Samp win

Sampdoria finally got back to winning ways at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris and celebrate a massive three points that go a long way to guaranteeing Serie A football next season.

Vincenzo Montella’s men gave themselves a mountain to climb early on against Lazio. After just three minutes, Antonio Candreva was allowed to reach the byline and put a cross in for Filip Djordjevic to head home at the far post after ghosting through Samp’s three-man defence. The early strike rocked the home side, with both Keita Balde Diao and Candreva coming close to doubling Lazio’s advantage soon afterwards.

The Blucerchiati gradually pulled themselves together and levelled up the scoreline after 20 minutes: Fernando latched onto Nenad Krsticic’s clever pass forward and slotted past Federico Marchetti.

Doria were fired up and playing well, although they still had to rely on Emiliano Viviano’s goalkeeping brilliance on a couple of occasions. Firstly, he dived full stretch to turn Keita’s goal-bound shot around the post and followed that up with a brilliant penalty save. Dodo knocked Keita to the floor in the area, leaving referee Nicola Rizzoli no option but to point to the spot. Viviano stood tall and guessed the right way on Candreva, gathering his shot and soaking up the acclaim from the Gradinata Sud on the stroke of half-time.

The second half began with Fabio Quagliarella and Luis Muriel having attempts on goal in quick succession, but Marchetti was equal to both. At the other end of the pitch, Djordjevic came inches away from putting his team back into the lead.

Then came the decisive moment: Fernando whipped in a free-kick and Silvestre climbed highest to head onto the bar via a Marchetti touch. The ball bounced out and in the resulting mix-up Diakite managed to bundle the ball over the line. Rizzoli waited for confirmation from goal-line technology before giving the goal.

Sampdoria had to work for the victory right up until full-time, with Viviano tipping over a Lucas Biglia free-kick in practically the last kick of the game that cued relieved celebrations in the Marassi.

Sampdoria 2-1 Lazio (HT: 1-1)

Scorers: Djordjevic 3, Fernando 20, De Silvestri 78.

Sampdoria (3-4-2-1): Viviano; Diakité, Silvestre, Cassani; De Silvestri, Fernando, Krsticic (Soriano 74), Barreto, Dodo (Skriniar 90+2); Muriel (Correa 65), Quagliarella.
Subs not used: Puggioni, Brignoli, Rodriguez, Pereira, Palombo, Christodoulopoulos, Sala.
Coach: Vincenzo Montella.

Lazio (4-3-3): Marchetti; Basta, Hoedt (Mauricio 45), Gentiletti, Konko (Morrison 83); Onazi, Biglia, Lulic; Candreva (F. Anderson 64), Djordjevic, D. Keita.
Subs not used: Guerrieri, Berisha, Braafheid, Mauri, Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi, A. Rossi, Mattia.
Coach: Simone Inzaghi.

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Bologna).
Assistants: Mauro Tonolini and Alberto Tegoni (Milan).
Fourth official: Marco Barbirati (Ferrara).
Additional assistants: Andrea Gervasoni (Mantua) and Renzo Candussio (Cervignano).

Yellow cards: Hoedt 22, Candreva 32, Keita 38, Dodo 44, Konko 55, Gentiletti 81, Mauricio 84, Skriniar 90+4.

Injury time: 0+4 minutes.

Attendance: 19,114 season-tickets holders (gate receipts of €152,366), 1446 matchday tickets (gate receipts of €24,206.34).

Pitch surface: Good condition.