Lack of cutting edge sees Samp come unstuck. Bologna win 3-0 at the Dall’Ara

Despite a record-breaking start to the campaign at home, the Blucerchiati failed to end their Bologna hoodoo. A toothless performance from Samp up front allowed Donadoni’s side to inflict a third defeat of the campaign.

The afternoon couldn’t have got off to a worse start. With Karol Linetty missing through a muscle injury and Denis Praet only fit enough for a place on the bench, the Blucerchiati conceded from the game’s first chance. Mattia Destro found space in the box and tested Emiliano Viviano who could do nothing as Simone Verdi tapped home from the rebound. Three minutes in and Doria were already chasing the game.

Just five minutes later, the coach had to make his first change. Ivan Strinic pulled up with pain in his left thigh and on came Nicola Murru. Former Bologna man Gaston Ramirez could have levelled on two occasions either side of the quarter-hour mark but the home defence stayed switched on. Samp were less attentive meanwhile, as Ibrahima Mbaye rose unchallenged from Verdi’s corner on 23 minutes to double the Rossoblu’s advantage.

Mirante could only parry Ramirez’s effort from a tight angle and the hosts were grateful to Duvan Zapata’s weak finish after Lucas Torreira squared it. Before the break, Bologna found themselves a man down, after Vasilis Torosidis was shown his marching orders for two yellow cards. Ramirez’s effort from the resulting free-kick clattered into the wall meanwhile.

Samp came out for the second period with Gianluca Caprari replacing the Uruguayan and a man advantage for 45 minutes. For a while, things looked promising: Torreira stung the palms of Mirante and Doria poured forward in the fog in search of a route back into the match albeit without success.

Giampaolo decided to go all out for it. He took off Bartosz Bereszynski – booked moments earlier – and threw on Ricky Alvarez. Edgar Barreto dropped into right back to deputise for the Pole. The Argentine immediately let fly with his left, while Matias Silvestre got up well to head from a corner but Mirante was equal to both attempts.

Bologna’s substitutions had more of an impact on proceedings though and Orji Okwonkwo put the icing on the cake, finishing from a counter attack led by Gonfred Donsah. The visitors’ bad luck continued when Valerio Verre caught the post from outside the box, before Caprari was denied by an opponent when applying the finish. The whole afternoon summed up our fortunes in Emilia. It’s no coincidence we haven’t won here in Serie A in more than 5,000 days.

Bologna 3-0 Sampdoria (HT: 2-0)
Scorers: Verdi 3, Mbaye 23, Okwonkwo 73.

Bologna (4-3-3): Mirante; Mbaye, De Maio, Maietta, Torosidis; Poli, Pulgar, Donsah; Verdi (Okwonkwo 69), Destro (Masina 46), Palacio (Taider 79).
Subs not used: Da Costa, Bruzzi, Nagy, Krafth, Petkovic, Krejci, Crisetig, Helander.
Coach: Donadoni.

Sampdoria (4-3-1-2): Viviano; Bereszynski (Alvarez 66), Silvestre, Ferrari, Strinic (Murru 8); Barreto, Torreira, Verre; Ramírez (Caprari 46); Quagliarella, Zapata.
Subs not used: Puggioni, Tozzo, Andersen, Sala, Praet, Regini, Capezzi, Kownacki.
Coach: Giampaolo.

Referee: Maresca.
Assistants: Paganessi & Fiore.
Fourth official: Chiffi.
VAR: Orsato.
VAR assistant: Balice.

Sent off: Torosidis 47
Booked: Bereszynski 61, Ferrari 70.
Added time: 2+3 minutes.