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Marcelo Zalayeta netted his third goal in as many Serie A games to give Napoli a second straight win.
These two fallen giants have started the season with great ambition and went head-to-head at the San Paolo. Napoli were still beaming from their shock 5-0 victory at Udinese, but had to prove that was no fluke, while Samp were unbeaten thus far and qualified for the UEFA Cup. Antonio Cassano was one of several Blucerchiati unable to make the trip along with Pietro Accardi, Sergio Volpi, Emiliano Bonazzoli and the suspended Reto Ziegler.
This fixture had not been played in Serie A since a 2-0 away win in April 1998. In the opening 27 seconds Andrea Caracciolo curled just over the bar, then moments later Ezequiel Lavezzi crossed in for a Marcelo Zalayeta header that whistled past the post.
Maurizio Domizzi had a penalty shout for his collision with a defender, but Zalayeta went even closer on 18 minutes when his header from a Marek Hamsik free kick shook the crossbar.
Sampdoria lost defender Stefano Lucchini to an apparently serious knee injury early on and Domizzi's crucial intervention cut short a very dangerous Gennaro Delvecchio counter-attack.
Vincenzo Montella accidentally kicked goalkeeper Gennaro Iezzo when both were going for a low Zenoni cross and before the break Iezzo smothered another more accurate Montella strike.
Lavezzi caused a sensation in the Week 2 victory at Udinese and was again unstoppable down the left flank, earning a multitude of free kicks and chances.
Just three minutes before the break Napoli took a deserved lead thanks to a comical defensive mix-up. Bastrini left the ball for his goalkeeper to come out and grab, but Luca Castellazzi clattered into his teammate, giving Zalayeta all the time in the world to waltz into an empty net.
Castellazzi flew to palm another Zalayeta effort - set up by Walter Gargano - out of the top corner.
Napoli doubled their lead with a spectacular team move. Hamsik and Zalayeta combined with a series of one-touch passes until the midfielder dribbled past the last man for a cool finish.
Manuele Blasi threatened a third from a corner kick, but couldn't complete the tap-in.
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