Fiorentina consigned Sampdoria to only their third home defeat in 12 month as goals from Josip Ilicic and Nikola Kalinic proved sufficient in supplanting Inter at the summit of the Serie A table ahead of the forthcoming international hiatus.
Visitors start brightly
The pattern of the evening was established early when the effervescent front pair of Luis Muriel and Eder prompted cautions for Fiorentina’s two holding midfielder, Milan Badelj and Matias Vecino.
But the visitors looked assured in possession and their poise soon paid dividends when they were awarded a spot-kick with the night a mere nine minutes old.
Fernando Bernardeschi was liberated inside the Samp penalty area and, as he flicked the ball round Ervin Zukanovic, the defender threw out his arm to foil the attack and referee Carmine Russo was unequivocal in pointing to the penalty spot. Josip Ilicic, nominally reliable from 12 yards, blasted his subsequent spot-kick beyond Emiliano Viviano.
Nikola Kalinic, La Viola’s top goalscorer this term, then squandered a glorious opportunity to double his side’s advantage when he was released through on goal by Borja Valero. Fiorentina were, as the old adage goes, threatening to run away with it.
Chances had been at a premium for the hosts during the opening quarter of an hour and their subservience was underlined when Roberto Soriano upended Badelj in midfield and was consequently admonished; a challenge so explicitly borne out of frustration.
Samp began to get a foothold on proceedings, however, with Eder assuming promising positions in the final-third. Soriano, too, looked positive.
But the gaps remained conspicuously present in the Samp rearguard as Ilicic, the two-goal hero in midweek, floated uninhibited between the midfield lines.
Even in the defensive phase the Serb looked vigilant, pilfering possession from Soriano in midfield before driving forward with purpose. The attack amounted to little but, seconds later, he was taking aim at Viviano’s goal.
Badelj then tried his luck from his distance but his effort sailed agonisingly over the crossbar.
Paulo Sousa’s side could have pressed home their superiority just shy of the half-time whistle when Bernadeschi, a thorn in Sampdoria’s side throughout the opening period, raced to byline, shifted the ball onto his favoured left side and prompted fingertips from Viviano.
The Samp No.1 then spared the home side’s blushes shortly after the interval when he was forced to contort his body to foil Vecino’s deflected effort.
Viola press home their advantage
Richly deserved was the visitors’ second, however, as yet again Ilicic pierced through the Samp backline to manufacture the goal. Latching onto to a lovely give-and-go with Kalinic, the Serb squared the ball across goal for the Croat to stroke into an empty net. The apex of the Serie A table heading into the third international hiatus of the season awaited.
Marcos Alonso made his long awaited return from injury midway through the second period and stung the palms of Viviano almost instantly. Bernardeschi pounced on the rebound but the Italian U21 international blazed over.
So comfortable were the away side that Facundo Roncaglia’s ill-advised pass across the defence went unpunished from the division’s leading marksmen, Eder. The Brazilian was alert to the defender’s error and had only Tatarasanu to beat, but the Fiorentina No.1 stood tall and thwarted the forward’s effort down low.
The game soon transformed into a spectacle of keep-ball as Sousa's side saw out the remaining ten minutes to dislodge Inter at the summit of the Serie A table.