Flachi fires Sampdoria to 3-3 draw
MILAN, Italy (Reuters) -- Two goals from Francesco Flachi, including a spectacular 89th minute equalizer, gave Sampdoria a 3-3 draw at Perugia in an entertaining Serie A match on Saturday.
Flachi completed the comeback from 3-1 down with a superb flying volley a minute from the end to ensure the points were shared.
Udinese beat Lecce 1-0 in Saturday's other game to go eighth.
Sampdoria had dominated the early stages and took the lead in the 16th minute with an acrobatic overhead kick from Flachi.
It could have been 2-0 just four minutes later when Sergio Volpi had a long-range shot tipped on to the bar by Perugia keeper Michele Tardioli.
Sampdoria, pushing forward on every occasion, hit the woodwork again when striker Fabio Bazzani's header crashed off the bar.
But Perugia clawed their way back into the game with a 39th minute equalizer. Sampdoria keeper Francesco Antonioli pushed a Massimo Margiotta header on to the bar but the ball fell to Giovanni Ignoffo who turned home from close range.
Margiotta then put Perugia head 10 minutes after the break, getting round the back of the Sampdoria defence and beating Antonioli with a cool finish.
The Umbrians looked to have the three points in the bag when Giovanni Tedesco fired home to make it 3-1 just before the hour mark after good work from English substitute Jay Bothroyd.
Two minutes later, though, Sampdoria fought back through a curling Cristiano Doni free-kick which Tardioli turned against the post but was unable to stop crossing the line.
Flachi then ensured the points were shared.
Udinese climb
Despite the fightback Sampdoria dropped to eighth place as Udinese leapfrogged them with a 30-meter strike from midfielder Giampiero Pinzi on the half-hour mark giving them a 1-0 win over Lecce.
The 22-year-old picked up the ball in midfield and burst forward before firing a low drive past diving Lecce keeper Marco Amelia.
Lecce came close to an equalizer in the 43rd minute when their Uruguayan striker Ernesto Chevanton forced a good save out of Udinese keeper Morgan De Sanctis with a powerful strike.
The impressive Chevanton was the biggest threat to Udinese's lead with his lively movement and willingness to shoot from distance but lacked effective support from midfield.
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