Sampdoria 4-1 Siena

Sampdoria continued their stunning start to the Serie A season with a home victory over Siena.

First-half goals from Angelo Palombo and Daniele Mannini set the hosts on their way and substitute Marco Padalino made an immediate impact to bag the third three minutes after the break.

Michele Fini pulled one back for the visitors midway through the second half but Padalino soon restored his team's three-goal cushion as the Blucerchiati posted their fourth straight win to extend their 100% start.

The visitors produced the contest's first shot at goal in the fourth minute, Cristiano del Grosso drilling a long-range effort high and wide.

Mannini tried his luck for the hosts three minutes later, but he too was off-target.

Samp goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi was called upon for the first time after 15 minutes to keep out a Simone Vergassola header from Massimo Maccarone cross.

His opposite number, Siena stopper Gianluca Curci, got down well seven minutes later to deny Antonio Cassano who got his low shot away following Palombo's fine assist.

The deadlock was broken 60 seconds later, however, with Palombo turning from provider to scorer. He passed two defenders and then lashed past Curci from eight yards to give his side the lead.

That advantage was doubled eight minutes later, Cassano feeding Mannini who found himself some space in the Siena box and struck a shot which beat Curci at his far post.

Siena pressed to get back into the game, but Maccarone saw his header comfortably saved by Castellazzi 10 minutes before the break and then fired wide from the left following a counter-attack just before the half-time whistle.

Samp extended their lead three minutes after the restart, Padalino slotting home from close range on the rebound after Curci had kept out Cassano's right-footed blast.

Andrea Poli came close to heaping further misery on the shellshocked visitors with a fourth just after the hour, but his 25-yard effort was kept out by Curci.

Midway through the half Siena pulled a goal back, Fini's 20-yard shot finding the target via a deflection off Poli.

Sensing there may be something in this game for them after all, Siena pushed forward again and former Middlesbrough striker Maccarone directed his shot just wide from 10 yards following Fini's assist.

But Padalino was to have the final word, making the most of his chance to impress coach Luigi Del Neri following his second-half introduction in place of Franco Semioli.

Padalino had his close-range header from Cassano's cross kept out by the diving Curci nine minutes from time, but was not to be denied his second goal of the afternoon five minutes from time.

Cassano was again the provider, this time setting up Giampiero Pazzini for a left-footed shot. Curci saved, but Padalino was on hand to snaffle up the rebound.