| Empoli clambered into fourth place with this solid victory over an inconsistent Sampdoria. This was a head to head battle for UEFA Cup spots as sixth-placed Empoli took on Samp in seventh. Luca Castellazzi and Gianluca Berti were injured, so new arrival Carlo Zotti was thrown into the Sampdoria goal, but the Blucerchiati hadn't won here since 1999.
Curiously, there was only one foreigner in the starting 22 - Empoli's Argentine midfielder Sergio Almiron. Nicola Pozzi wasted a good early scoring opportunity for the home side, while Almiron's goal was disallowed on 27 minutes for a push on his marker. Zotti held an Igli Vannucchi strike, then Antonio Busce' drilled just wide of his target. After the break Francesco Flachi stumbled as he anticipated his marker to a loose ball, the scuffed shot clipping the base of the upright. The referee pointed to the spot on 55 minutes, as Vannucchi was allowed to run from midfield into the area, where he was tripped by Luigi Sala. Luca Saudati stepped up to convert and give Empoli the lead. A central Fabio Quagliarella header was saved, but Davide Matteini replaced Saudati and almost immediately brought a difficult save out of Zotti when one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Quagliarella and Flachi had two good chances on the counter-attack, but it was Empoli who took advantage of Sampdoria pouring down the other end of the field. Matteini had all the space in the world to sprint towards goal and deposit a cool finish past Zotti. | 
