Back-to-back wins for Catania

Catania registered back-to-back Serie A wins for the first time this season by coming from behind to beat Sampdoria 3-1.

Catania registered back-to-back Serie A wins for the first time this season by coming from behind to beat Sampdoria 3-1. Enzo Maresca had Samp dreaming of a possible first away win since September with an early penalty before Catania substitute Mario Paglialunga levelled after the break. Gonzalo Bergessio boosted Rolando Maran's men into the lead with a close-range header and Catania made the points safe through Lucas Castro's effort on the stroke of full-time. Sergio Romero coped brilliantly with Francesco Lodi's fine free-kick in the early exchanges, the Samp keeper then recovering well to sweep up the loose ball with Bergessio lurking. Paglialunga was then sent on after just 15 minutes when Amidu Salifu picked up a debilitating knock. Lodi soon drove in a corner ball for Nicola Legrottaglie that the ex-Italy international could only nod over the bar, but Emiliano Izco's right-footed drive gave Romero real food for thought. Samp's opener came against the run of play as Maresca dragged the visitors into the lead from the penalty spot in the 28th minute. Nenad Krsticic squeezed the ball through to Mauro Icardi, who was brought down by Legrottaglie, and Maresca slammed the ball beyond Mariano Andujar. Catania looked for a quick response, but Castro could not outwit Romero with a clever backheel, before Samp nearly made it two as Icardi rifled a daisycutter just wide of the target. Jonathan Rossini's blushes were spared as Romero got back to keep his careless back pass out of the visitors' net, and Samp carried their narrow lead into the break. Catania missed a gilt-edged chance to equalise shortly after the interval as Pedro Mba Obiang made a hash of the follow-up when Eder had bamboozled Romero. But the hosts did not have to wait long as Paglialunga got into good space to beat Romero with his right foot in the 55th minute. And 10 minutes later Catania took the lead as Bergessio rose above Romero to head home from Giovanni Marchese's cross. The Elefanti were in full flow and Bergessio almost completed his brace when served by Lodi, before Castro had a goal ruled out for offside. Samp's response was limp as Gaetano Berardi embarrassed himself with a wayward header with substitute Nicola Pozzi failing to find an end product to an otherwise promising run. Time was ticking away on Samp's poor bid to rescue a point and it was not to be as Castro ended the contest by capitalising on Rossini's indecision to tap home Catania's third.