Sampdoria vs. AS Roma: Final score 0-0, Samp scrap to impressive point

Sampdoria continued their impressive start to the season with a goalless draw at home to AS Roma at the Luigi Ferraris on Saturday. The draw means they stay just three points in arrears of the giallorossi in third place in Serie A, with the Genoese outfit still yet to lose a game this season.

The game got off to an even start, with neither side managing to carve out any real opportunities in the first quarter. If anything, Sampdoria were on top, though despite Roberto Soriano and Eder bombarding the Roma box with crosses, goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis was untested.

As the half wore on, Roma looked increasingly dangerous, and just past the half hour mark they finally found themselves through on goal for the first time. An excellent pass from Davide Astori sent Gervinho straight past the Samp defence and through on goal, though he fluffed his lines and hit the post after an initial intervention by goalkeeper Sergio Romero. He went close again four minutes later, though lashed a shot across the face of goal from inside the area.

The half time whistle allowed an ailing Sampdoria to regroup, and they came out after the restart with renewed vigour. Manolo Gabbiadini thought he'd given them the lead seven minutes into the second period when threaded through by defender Vasco Regini, though his goal was correctly ruled out for offside. Roma responded to the early scare with an effort from Adem Ljajić on the edge of the box, though his shot was tame and comfortably smothered.

The game certainly started to open up as the game headed into the final half hour, with both sides creating chances. One of the best fell to Sampdoria striker Stefano Okaka from a Gabbiadini free-kick, though he managed to scoop the ball over the bar from a couple of yards. Roma went close to finally breaking the deadlock through Alessandro Florenzi inside the final 10 minutes, though his header was acrobatically tipped away by Sergio Romero.