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Franco Brienza's strike proved enough to sink high-flying Sampdoria as Nevio Orlandi taught a lesson to former Granillo hero Walter Mazzarri.
Coach Mazzarri returned to face his former club for the first time since his summer departure and was flying high with Sampdoria challenging for a Champions League spot. Pietro Accardi and Angelo Palombo were suspended, while Reggina had Montiel injured.
Ciccio Cozza's first touch let him down in a one-on-one with Luca Castellazzi, but there were penalty appeals from the home side after a chaotic move in which Gastaldello deflected a Maurizio Lanzaro strike.
Reggina broke the deadlock with a fine individual goal from Franco Brienza. He sprung the offside trap on Cozza's pass over the defence and showed brilliant skill to trap the ball, dribble round the goalkeeper and deposit into an empty net.
Stefano Lucchini limped off with an injury just before the break and Nicola Amoruso almost took advantage of Mirko Pieri's uncertainty on a Cozza cross.
Amoruso should have made it 2-0 on the hour mark, but he came sliding in to Brienza's pass and fired wide of an open goal, instead clattering into Castellazzi and forcing the goalkeeper off the field.
It was not a good day for injuries, as substitute goallie Fiorillo came on and immediately clattered into Bruno Cirillo, leaving the Reggina defender momentarily unconscious, but both were able to continue.
Campagnolo smothered an Antonio Cassano free kick, but Samp did not manage to stage a real fightback.
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