| Sampdoria are really struggling at the moment and fell to a shock home defeat at the hands of a thoroughly deserving Ascoli side after Francesco Flachi's foolish red card. It's the Bianconeri's first away win of the campaign. The Blucerchiati's injury crisis continued with Fabio Bazzani, Emiliano Bonazzoli and Vitali Kutuzov all sidelined. Ascoli had just one win from 10 visits to Marassi and had Pasquale Foggia suspended.
Fabio Quagliarella wasted a good early opportunity by drilling wide of the target and a Sasa Bjelanovic header was too weak to trouble Francesco Antonioli.
Sampdoria took a long time to get going under heavy rainfall at the Stadio Ferraris and Max Tonetto's free kick was well over.
Quagliarella thought he had given Ascoli the lead after 34 minutes, but his splendid solo effort and curling strike was stopped short by the frame of the goal.
Bjelanovic and Gianluca Comotto also went close for the visitors, while on the stroke of half-time goalkeeper Coppola was able to come out and close down Foti as the youngster hesitated on Francesco Flachi's assist.
The second half started along a similar vein with Guana's low drive causing a few problems for Antonioli, then Bjelanovic really should've done better with only the goalkeeper to beat.
It was no real surprise when Ascoli eventually took the lead after 56 minutes. Quagliarella chested down the ball and placed his shot past Antonioli from nine yards.
Sampdoria managed to draw level with the aid of a deflection, as Sergio Volpi's long-range shot took a touch off a defender to leave Coppola stranded.
However, Flachi left his team in the lurch with a red card for dissent, as he sarcastically applauded the referee for a decision he did not agree with.
Igor Budan replaced Quagliarella and restored Ascoli's lead three minutes later with a diving header against 10-man Sampdoria.
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