Samp kick off the season with 3-0 cup win over Foggia

Sampdoria got their Coppa Italia campaign off to the best possible start as debut goals by Gianluca Caprari and Dawid Kownacki – following Edgar Barreto’s opener – saw the Blucerchiati cruise to a 3-0 victory against Foggia.

Dennis Praet spent the opening period picking holes in the visitors’ backline and after playing in Fabio Quagliarella (whose effort was blocked), he spotted Barreto’s run and threaded a brilliant pass through for the Paraguayan to open the scoring in the 19th minute.

Foggia were determined to make a game of it and continued to press Samp all over the park. They carved out a couple of openings of their own towards the end of the half too, Francesco Deli volleying wide before Fabio Mazzeo saw his shot charged down by Matias Silvestre.

Gaston Ramirez and Dawid Kownacki came on for their Samp debuts after the restart but it was another summer signing, Caprari, who doubled our lead in the 74th minute as he slotted a cool finish into the bottom corner.

The third came with ten minutes of normal time remaining when our young Polish striker opened his Blucerchiati account by getting on the end of Caprari’s corner.

The result – a fitting way to celebrate U.C. Sampdoria’s 71st birthday in front of the Marassi faithful – sets up a fourth-round meeting with Pescara, who beat Brescia 3-1 elsewhere. The match will be played at the Stadio Ferraris in late November.

Of more pressing concern for Marco Giampaolo and his men is the impending league campaign, which they begin with a home game against Serie A newcomers Benevento next Sunday.

Sampdoria 3-0 Foggia (HT 1-0)
Scorers: Barreto 19, Caprari 74, Kownacki 80.

Sampdoria (4-3-1-2): Puggioni; Sala, Silvestre, Regini, Murru (Ferrari 86); Barreto, Torreira, Praet; Alvarez (Ramirez 55); Caprari, Quagliarella (Kownacki 69).
Subs not used: Tozzo, Dodo, Linetty, Verre, Leverbe, Bereszynski, Capezzi.
Coach: Giampaolo.

Foggia (4-3-3): Guarna; Gerbo, Martinelli, Empereur, Rubin; Agazzi, Vacca, Deli (Agnelli 82); Fedato (Chirico 58), Mazzeo, Milinkovic (Calderini 58).
Subs not used: Pelizzoli, Beretta, Sicurella, Coletti, Floriano, Celli, Killan.
Coach: Stroppa.

Referee: Banti (Livorno).
Assistants: Di Iorio (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola) and Tasso (Spezia).
Fourth official: Minelli (Varese).

Booked: Guarna 75, Gerbo 82, Agnelli 89.

Added time: 0+4 minutes.

Attendance: approx. 10,000.