Gabbiadini helps Sampdoria salvage late point in draw vs. Lazio

Milan, Aug 31, 2022 (AFP) - Manolo Gabbiadini saved a point for Sampdoria in Wednesday's 1-1 home draw with Lazio, netting his team's first goal of the season in stoppage time and lifting them out of the Serie A drop zone.

Sampdoria are 16th with just two points from their first four games after Gabbiadini expertly lashed his 92nd-minute leveller which denied Lazio the chance to move level with league leaders Roma.

Lazio thought they would be on 10 points after leading from the 21st minute through Ciro Immobile, who calmly slotted past Emil Audero after beating Samp's offside trap and collecting Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's flamboyant flick.

Instead Maurizio Sarri's side trail local rivals Roma by two points and will drop down to fifth should Napoli beat Lecce later and move top on goal difference.

Juventus host Spezia in the day's other late fixture after completing the signing on loan of Leandro Paredes from Paris Saint-Germain.

Angel Di Maria is on the bench for ninth-placed Juve after recovering from a thigh injury picked up during his debut earlier in the month.

Massimiliano Allegri's side are also without Leonardo Bonucci, Federico Chiesa and Paul Pogba with the France midfielder's private life in the headlines after what he described as threats and extortion attempts from gangsters.

Udinese moved above Juve into eighth after inflicting a first defeat of the season on Fiorentina thanks to Beto's 17th-minute strike.

Empoli and Verona played out a 1-1 draw in the other early kick-off.