| An early goal from Emiliano Bonazzoli gave Sampdoria a confidence-boosting three points. The Blucerchiati had drawn their last three on the trot and were eager to bump up their form for a late UEFA Cup surge. Andrea Parola and Francesco Flachi were suspended, while Emiliano Bonazzoli underwent surgery on his hand this week and required a special protective bandage to play. Youth team starlet Koman was given his Serie A debut. Toro had won three of their last five and missed Oscar Brevi on a ban.
Samp nearly opened the scoring in the first minute, as Christian Abbiati got down well to parry a Bonazzoli header. New boy Koman made quite an impact, as he created the opener. His intelligent long ball found Bonazzoli in the area for a delicate right-foot finish past Abbiati. Fabio Quagliarella was quiet early on in a tactical game, but his dipping chest and volley was just over the bar. Quagliarella combined with Koman and Gennaro Delvecchio down the right flank, but Palombo's finish was too central. Gianni De Biasi made two half-time substitutions, but Samp continued to have the better of the play with Bonazzoli just failing to latch on to a Quagliarella cross. Cesare Bovo's free kick shaved the woodwork, but Toro were hit when Roberto Muzzi picked up a second booking for a foul on Volpi. | 
