Manolo Gabbiadini scored only the second brace of his Serie A career and thought it was enough for a Sampdoria victory, but Matteo Pessina kept his cool to convert a 99th-minute penalty for Monza.
The hosts have been on sparkling form in 2023 and were fresh from a shock 2-0 win away to Juventus, with only Gabriel Paletta injured and Stefano Sensi suspended. Samp, on the other hand, lost four in a row and sat in penultimate position, also facing off the field problems and the spectre of bankruptcy. Abdelhamid Sabiri, Ignacio Pussetto, Andrea Conti and Manuel De Luca were on the treatment table, joined during the warm-up by Koray Gunter, so Omar Colley stepped in.
Gianluca Caprari turned Bram Nuytinck to drill inches wide from 12 yards, but Samp took the lead when Manolo Gabbiadini sprung the offside trap on a Sam Lammers ball over the top and Luca Caldirola backed off, afraid of a red card, so the veteran scored with his angled drive.
Carlos Augusto stung Emil Audero’s gloves with a half-volley at the near post, while Armando Izzo cleared when the Medhi Leris pull-back was deflected into the path of Lammers.
Monza did equalise, as Andrea Petagna gathered with his back to goal and turned Nuytinck to fire in from a tight angle at the near post.
Nuytinck made up for it with a decisive block on Petagna moments later, Filip Djuricic hit his attempt straight at Michele Di Gregorio.
Tommaso Augello almost scored the goal of the season on 51 minutes, a simply magnificent left-foot volley that bent around Di Gregorio and inches past the far post.
Augello showed his skills at the other end too with a decisive tackle to stop Dany Mota Carvalho tapping in the Carlos Augusto roll across from the left.
It proved crucial, as Sampdoria restored their lead when Nicola Murru whipped in a cross from the left for the Leris header, Di Gregorio performed a remarkable save, but could do nothing on Gabbiadini’s follow-up. It was the veteran’s first Serie A brace since April 2016, only the second of his career in this competition.
Monza poured forward in search of an equaliser, but more desperate defending prevented a Dany Mota Carvalho tap-in on Carlos Augusto’s low cross.
Bruno Amione made another great block to prevent Carlos Augusto scoring, but as the move continued Petagna went down in a tangle with Nicola Murru and the referee pointed to the spot. Pessina kept his cool and converted low into the bottom corner, sending Audero the wrong way to equalise with the last kick of the game.
Monza 2-2 Sampdoria
Gabbiadini 12, 57 (S), Petagna 32 (M), Pessina pen 99 (M)