GENOA — On a crisp Sunday afternoon at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Sampdoria overturned a halftime deficit with four second-half goals, dispatching Pescara, 4-1, in a rousing Serie B contest that showcased both drama and attacking verve.

Trailing at the interval to an opportunistic strike from Andrea Oliveri, Sampdoria responded with urgency and panache after the break. A controversial penalty, emphatically converted by Massimo Coda, ignited the comeback, before goals from Simone Pafundi, Fabio Depaoli and a stoppage-time clincher by Nikos Ioannou sent the home supporters into celebration.

Pescara’s Early Threat

For long spells during the first half, Pescara looked poised to claim a signature away result. Organized and compact, the visitors absorbed pressure and struck with surgical precision just before halftime. In the 44th minute, Gianluca Letizia surged forward on the right and delivered a pin-point cross, meeting Oliveri's late run at the far post. The finish was composed, steering the ball past a stranded Sampdoria goalkeeper to silence the home crowd.

Pescara had already been forced into an early substitution, with Gabriele Olzer coming on after just six minutes, an adjustment that did not appear to disrupt their rhythm. At the other end, Sampdoria pressed but their advances were routinely repelled, and frustration began to mount, culminating in a caution for central defender Stipe Vulikic after a rash challenge in the 31st minute.

Momentum Shifts after the Break

The match’s complexion shifted dramatically within minutes of the restart. Sensing the urgency, Sampdoria introduced fresh legs at halftime, a move that soon paid dividends. In the 55th minute, a clumsy foul inside the area handed Sampdoria a lifeline. Coda, the club’s seasoned talisman, approached the spot with typical composure, thumping his penalty home to restore parity as the Luigi Ferraris reverberated with approval.

From that moment, the hosts seized control of proceedings. Pafundi, bright and inventive all afternoon, capped off a flowing move in the 63rd minute with a deft finish that put Sampdoria in front. The teenager’s low shot, struck with the outside of his foot, nestled into the bottom corner, leaving Pescara’s defense scrambling and goalkeeper motionless.

Just three minutes later, Depaoli made it three, arriving late into the area and firing clinically from the edge of the box after sustained pressure. The Sampdoria bench erupted, sensing that the tide had firmly turned and the points were within reach.

Discipline Unravels as Tensions Flare

As Pescara chased the game, discipline began to fray. Defender Riccio received a yellow card for Sampdoria as tempers threatened to spill, followed in quick succession by Pescara’s Riccardo Brosco in the 70th minute. The visitors searched for a route back with a flurry of substitutions, including Letizia and Valzania, but struggled to mount meaningful threats.

The closing stages produced further drama. In the first minute of stoppage time, Ioannou latched onto a loose ball amid a scramble in the box, slotting Sampdoria’s fourth to seal a resounding win. The emotional toll on Pescara was visible in the aftermath — a last-ditch challenge resulted in a yellow and direct red card for an unidentified visitor in the dying seconds, compounding their misery on an afternoon that began with such hope.

Broader Implications for Promotion Race

For Sampdoria, this victory marks a statement of intent in the promotion chase, with their offensive firepower and depth on display. The ability to recover from adversity, coupled with sharp tactical changes, suggests the side has found both its spirit and structure at a crucial juncture of the Serie B campaign.

Pescara, by contrast, leaves Genoa with difficult questions to answer. Promising in periods but ultimately exposed, the visitors must regroup and address defensive frailties that were ruthlessly punished in the second half.

As the final whistle sounded, Sampdoria’s supporters lingered in celebration, their team having delivered both spectacle and substance, and announced themselves once again as contenders for a return to Italy’s top flight.