Sampdoria Secure Serie B Survival Amid Crowd Trouble

Sampdoria: Sampdoria averted drop to the third tier of Italian soccer on Sunday when the return leg of their Serie B playout away at Salernitana was abandoned due to crowd trouble with the Genoa side 2-0 up on the night and 4-0 ahead on aggregate. Sampdoria are sure to be awarded a 3-0 win for a 5-0 aggregate triumph after Salernitana fans threw fireworks and seats onto the field of play.

According to Ansa News Agency, the Genoa side had looked set to play in Serie C for the first time in their history when they finished the regular season in the direct relegation places in 18th. But they got a lifeline when Brescia were docked four points for administrative wrongdoing and dropped into the relegation zone, bumping former Italian champions and 1992 European Cup finalists Samp up into the playout places.

The return of the playout was postponed by two days because several Salernitana players suffered food poisoning after the first leg in Genoa.