Sampdoria's relegation fears show no signs of abating as they were held to a goalless draw by Atalanta at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday afternoon.
Frosinone's victory at Empoli on Saturday afternoon piled yet more pressure on the Blucerchiati who, thanks to a dearth of quality in the final-third, squandered the opportunity to put some daylight between themselves at the proverbial dotted line.
The visitors, meanwhile, contrived to draw their fifth game of the new year as they continue their slide south in the league standings.
Open contest
Samp hoarded possession during the opening stages but it was the visitors who fashioned the first attempt at goal.
Alessandro Diamanti collected the ball on the perimeter of the D but lifted his effort over the crossbar.
Alejandro Gomez, then, scurried down the left and squeezed a shot inside Emiliano Viviano’s near post, but the Samp No.1 parried the ball to safety.
Marco Sportiello was called into action on the 8th minute mark when Antonio Cassano evaded the challenge of Remo Freuler and struck a venomous shot at goal.
Diamanti arced an unerring cross towards a lurking Gomez at the far stick but, after momentarily taking his eye off the ball, could not make a clean connection with his left boot.
The away side thought they had broken the deadlock on 21 minutes when Mauricio Pinilla cooly slotted beyond Viviano after being ushered in by Marten De Roon, but the linesman adjudged the forward to have strayed offside and his jubilation was curtailed.
Diamanti’s deliveries had proven such a weapon on the afternoon and Andrea Masiello almost profited from the attacker’s prowess when he ghosted in at the far post five minutes before the interval and prodded the ball towards goal, but Viviano was down quick to foil the defender.
Absence of quality
Mattia Cassani, so unfortunate not to salvage a point at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma last weekend, stood up a tantalising cross for Dodo at the back post and the on-loan full-back almost squeezed his effort past Sportiello at his front post.
Masiello failed to benefit from a Diamanti cross in the first-half and the defender could have silenced the home fraternity if he had anticipated Roberto Soriano’s miscued attempt at a clearance.
Cassano was replaced by Ricky Alvarez on the hour mark as Vincenzo Montella went in search of an opener.
De Roon prompted Viviano into a smart save at his near post on 73 minutes after a deft dummy from Diamanti.
Luis Muriel passed up a gilt-edged opportunity to open the scoring ten minutes from time when he opted to tee up Soriano inside the 18-yard box in lieu of sending Alvarez’s cross towards goal.
Alvarez, though, was presented with a golden opportunity to snatch all three points when he out jumped Boukary Drame at the back post but nodded over Dodo’s delicious cross from point-blank range.