Samuel Eto'o scored in stoppage time to give Sampdoria a 1-1 draw with Empoli in Serie A this afternoon.
The home side came close to opening the scoring inside the opening five minutes when Matias Vecino burst forward, collecting a high ball into the box before unleashing a dipping shot that was kept out by the crossbar.
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Empoli continued to look the more likely in the first half, with Massimo Maccarone and Manuel Pucciarelli both providing promising balls into the box, but the finishing touch was lacking.
Riccardo Saponara had a chance early in the second half for the hosts, but his low strike from just inside the box was blocked on the line.
Empoli did break the deadlock just before the hour mark, though, as Maccarone squared the ball to Pucciarelli, leaving him with a simple finish into the bottom corner.
Elseid Hysaj tried to create a second just a couple of minutes later, crossing the ball in from the right, but the visitors did enough to turn it behind for a corner.
Sampdoria had a chance to get back on level terms inside the final 15 minutes as Joaquin Correa curled an effort towards goal from the middle of the box, but his finish was straight at the keeper.
The visitors continued to press for an equaliser as full time approached and prevented their opponents from taking all three points when Luis Muriel set up Eto'o to drill the ball in from the edge of the box.
The result leaves Sampdoria seventh in the table, while Empoli move up to 14th.
Sian Cowper
