Ramirez strikes, but Parma stage comeback to win final friendly

Sampdoria fell to defeat in the club’s final pre-season friendly ahead of the new season. With just a week to go until the third round of the Coppa Italia, Eusebio Di Francesco’s side were on the wrong end of a Parma comeback at a scorching hot Tardini. Luckily, it was a painless friendly defeat both on the pitch and particularly in the stands, with the coach and his staff able to get a further glimpse at how the team is developing.

Considering the absentees, it appeared to be a full-strength lineup. Emil Audero had the centre-back pairing of Jeison Murillo and Omar Colley ahead of him, with Bartosz Bereszynski and Nicola Murru at full-back. Ronaldo Vieira was in central midfield, with Karol Linetty and Jakub Jankto out wide. Captain Fabio Quagliarella led the line, with the South American duo of Gonzalo Maroni and Gaston Ramirez supporting him.

Doria made a strong start and opened the scoring through the Uruguayan with just six minutes on the clock, thanks to a left-footed strike from the edge of the box which went in off the post. The visitors spurned several chances to double their lead and would eventually be made to pay when Gervinho broke into the box and Colley was adjudged to have fouled the Ivorian. Roberto Inglese’s initial penalty was saved by Audero, but the striker made no mistake with the rebound. Both sides created further chances before the end of the half, but it was all square heading into the interval.

It was an end-to-end second half, with Di Francesco deciding to ring the changes about halfway through. In and amongst all the substitutions, Mattia Sprocati popped up with the winner from long range for the hosts, with his angled shot going in off the post, just like Samp’s opener. The coach brought on some fresh legs in a bid to clinch a draw, but it was not to be in the end. There will be no such room for error next weekend.

Parma 2-1 Sampdoria (HT 1-1)

Scorers: Ramirez 6, Inglese 22, Sprocati 80.

Parma (4-3-3): Sepe (Colombi 46); Laurini (Demarku 79), Iacoponi (Gazzola 90), B. Alves, Gagliolo; Kucka (Grassi 63), Brugman (Scozzarella 79), Hernani (Barilla 63); Kulusevski (Karamoh 63), Inglese (Cornelius 70), Gervinho (Sprocati 70).
Unused subs: Alastra, Machin, Siligardi, Ceravolo.
Coach: D’Aversa.
Sampdoria (4-3-3): Audero (Falcone 87); Bereszynski (Depaoli 75), Murillo (Ferrari 75), Colley (Chabot 75), Murru (Augello 75); Linetty (Barreto 68), Vieira (Pompetti 88), Jankto (Thorsby 75); Ramirez (D’Amico 88), Quagliarella (Bonazzoli 76), Maroni (Bahlouli 70).
Coach: Di Francesco.
Referee: Gariglio (Pinerolo).
Assistants: Massimino (Cuneo) and Della Croce (Rimini).
Bookings: Gagliolo 39, Ramirez 73.