Cittadella 0-0 Sampdoria: Granata draw despite improvements

Cittadella earned its second straight 0-0 draw at the Stadio Piercesare Tombolato as the Granata drew goalless with Sampdoria on Wednesday.

It was an improved performance compared to last weekend’s defeat against Carrarese, head coach Alessandro Dal Canto believes.

“We gave a spirited performance from an emotional point of view,” Dal Canto said in his postmatch press conference. “We take a point and I have no regrets because we brought a positive result, with an equally positive performance.”

Dal Canto opted for a change in formation, moving to a 3-5-2 lineup in his third match in charge on Wednesday. Simone Tronchin started his first game for Cittadella since joining the club in June.

A balanced first half saw both sides test each other out, with Cittadella coming closest in the 41st minute from Simone Rabbi’s effort. Off of Andrea Magrassi’s flicked header, the birthday player’s effort was pushed aside by goalkeeper Paolo Vismara.

Sampdoria striker Massimo Coda–who has scored 10 times against Cittadella in his career–was limited to one touch inside the Granata‘s penalty box going into halftime. Coda finished the game with one more touch inside the box before being substituted in the 70th minute.

Cittadella’s best chance of the game arrived 23 minutes after halftime, when substitute Andrea Tessiore pulled an effort inches wide of the post following a dispossession deep inside Sampdoria territory.

“The only medicine to scoring more goals is to work and do a little more,” Dal Canto said. “The finishing improves with training. Usually the best at shooting on goal are the goalkeeping coaches, that being said we have to improve quickly.”

Despite the improved performance, Cittadella remains in the relegation zone on nine points after 11 games. Dal Canto’s men return to action next Sunday against Palermo at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.

PHOTO: AS Cittadella