The Liguria Derby was a dramatic affair, as the incredible long-range Abdelhamid Sabiri stunner for Sampdoria was cancelled out by Spezia’s comeback.
Both sides had a rough start to this campaign, as between them they had just one win. Daniele Verde, Kelvin Amian, Daniel Maldini and Salva Ferrer were out of action, while Harry Winks, Simone Trimboli and Manuel De Luca didn’t make the trip. Marco Giampaolo began a two-game touchline ban for insulting the referee.
Samp took the lead out of nowhere with an extraordinary shot from a good 30 metres out, a sudden right-foot strike that dipped viciously into the far top corner.
There was barely time to finish celebrating when Sampdoria scored a bizarre own goal, as the Emil Holm cross from the right took a double deflection off Alex Ferrari and Jeison Murillo to ricochet into the net from close range.
Emmanuel Gyasi flashed a dangerous ball across the six-yard box with nobody able to get the final touch, as Holm only grazed it.
Emil Audero performed a simply astonishing save to keep out Ethan Ampadu’s header from point-blank range from a corner.
Sabiri tried to repeat his earlier stunner with a free kick from distance, but this time Bartlomiej Dragowski was ready to punch it away, then from open play bent another effort just wide.
Instead, Spezia turned the game around with another Holm cross from the right and this time M’Bala Nzola was unmarked to turn in from seven yards.
Dragowski made a double save on Manolo Gabbiadini and Sabiri at the near post, then deep into stoppages rushed off his line to stick out a boot and deny Fabio Quagliarella the equaliser.
Spezia 2-1 Sampdoria
Sabiri 11 (Sa), Murillo og 12 (Sp), Nzola 72 (Sp)