Puggioni the penalty hero but Samp held by Empoli

Sampdoria were held to a 0-0 draw by Empoli at Marassi on Sunday afternoon after Christian Puggioni saved a first-half penalty from the visitor’s Levan Mchedlidze.

Marco Giampaolo stayed true to his word and named the starting eleven he had announced in his pre-match press conference on Saturday, with Angelo Palombo donning the captain’s armband.

Empoli started strongly, but it was Samp who enjoyed the opening chances of the match. First Luis Muriel collected Lucas Torreira’s pass in a dangerous position only to hesitate for a second too long, then Patrick Schick saw his effort deflected behind for a corner kick.

Samp’s best chance of the half came on 21 minutes, as Dennis Praet cut a ball back from the byline only for Muriel to stab wide with the goal gaping.

Giampaolo’s men were growing into the game with every passing minute, but there was trouble afoot. With the half-hour mark approaching, Palombo tangled with Mchedlidze in the box. The Georgian hit the deck and the referee pointed to the spot. Mchedlidze dusted himself down and stepped up to take, but veteran goalie Puggioni dived to his right to palm away the spot-kick and keep Samp on level terms.

The deadlock continued into the second half, with both coaches turning to their benches in search of inspiration. Bruno Fernandes and Filip Djuricic were called into action by Giampaolo, with the former volleying just wide from Vasco Regini’s cross soon after his introduction.

The Samp boss threw on Fabio Quagliarella in the closing stages as Doria pushed to avoid a second successive 0-0 draw at home, but there was to be no later winner.

Sampdoria 0-0 Empoli

Sampdoria (4-3-1-2): Puggioni; Pereira, Palombo, Skriniar, Regini; Praet (Fernandes 68), Torreira, Linetty; Alvarez (Djuricic 81); Muriel (Quagliarella 85), Schick.
Subs not used: Krapikas, Tozzo, Amuzie, Dodô, Pavlovic, Cigarini, Bereszynski, Budimir.
Coach: Marco Giampaolo.

Empoli (4-3-1-2): Skorupski; Laurini, Bellusci, Cosic (Costa 56), Pasqual; Krunic (A. Tello 90), Diousse, Croce; Saponara; Marilungo (Pucciarelli 65), Mchedlidze.
Subs not used: Pugliesi, Pelagotti, Di Marco, J. Mauri, Maccarone, Veseli, Thiam, M. Pereira, Buchel.
Coach: Giovanni Martusciello.

Referee: Celi (Bari).
Assistants: Giallatini (Rome 2), Tegoni (Milan).
Fourth official: Paganessi (Bergamo).
Additional assistants: Russo (Nola), La Penna (Rome 1).

Yellow cards: Palombo 29, Pereira 39, Linetty 39, Cosic 39, Diousse 89, Mchedlidze 90.

Added time: 1 + 5 minutes.