Roma rips sorry Samp to shreds

Radja Nainggolan’s maiden Roma brace stole the show as the Giallorossi thrashed Sampdora 4-0 on Thursday to secure an Italian Cup quarterfinal tie against second-tier Cesena.

Although Luis Muriel hit the post early on for Sampdoria, a sensational Leandro Paredes volley struck the woodwork at the other end and was a sign of more to come from Luciano Spalletti’s Serie A title hopefuls.

Samp goalkeeper Christian Puggioni did well to bat away another scorcher from Paredes, but the keeper was powerless when Nainggolan pounced on a poor Matias Silvestre touch to fire a right-footed volley from outside the area into the top corner minutes before the interval.

The celebrations extended to the substitutes’ bench featuring 40-year-old Roma stalwart Francesco Totti.

The subs were almost off their feet again when Nainggolan set up Stephan El Shaarawy with a back-heel flick that the forward fired over.

Puggioni palmed away a low El Shaarawy drive and from the resulting corner Nainggolan blasted wide.

Two minutes after the restart, El Shaarawy set up Edin Dzeko and the big Bosnian striker beat Puggioni for Roma’s second.

Dzeko, twice, then Antonio Rudiger were denied but El Shaarawy made amends with a superbly taken third.

Former AC Milan striker El Shaarawy controlled Dzeko’s 40-yard pass on the run, cut past his marker and fired a delicate lob over Puggioni.

Totti replaced Dzeko on the hour and stung Puggioni’s gloves twice.

Diego Perotti capped his recent return from injury with a cross for Nainggolan as the Belgian headed in a fourth at the death.