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Wed. February 18, 2026
UEFA Champions League - First Knockout Round First Leg
Sampdoria (2nd in Italian Serie A) vs. Dover (1st in Barclays Premier League)
Cassano Arena, Genova, Italy
Betting Odds: Sampdoria: Evens (Favourites) Draw: 11-5 Dover: 11-5
Past Meetings: 0W 1D 0L
In all these years, we’ve only faced Sampdoria once and that was a preseason friendly a few years back. These guys are the SEVEN TIME defending Italian champions, having won their league each year since 2019 but are six points back of Juventus on this year’s Serie A table. They’ve won the Champions League once (1992) and are one of the biggest clubs in the world. They will be a tough test for us and as such, they are favoured today in the biggest spread against us all year. Like us, they get balanced scoring and have four players with double digit goal totals, highlighted by striker Francesco Salvadori with 22 goals. He’s injured and likely won’t play tonight but they have fellow striker Yahia Traore (14 goals) and I’m guessing Thiago (11 goals) will also be up front today.
A few changes for this key matchup, as Chiquinho is back in alongside Moses and Gianluca Bolis is in for De la Vega. Rafinha, Mwemere Mutesa and Neil Cairney will get to keep their starting slots after their fine recent play. As underdogs, we will play a counter attacking mentality for one of the few times this year and I feel that will work well on a narrow pitch here at Cassano Arena.
Dover: 4-4-2 Counter
GK - I. Wilke
D - Rafinha, C. Contreras, M. Mutesa, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, N. Cairney, B. Raab, G. Bolis
S - P. Moses, Chiquinho
Bench - Renato Gaucho, R. Hamon, R. Lopez, E. Harvey, Jose, M. Pedersen, M. Lugo
Sampdoria are in a flat 4-4-2 with Thiago and Traore up front, as expected. Their keeper is Marcel Patzler. I tell the team this is a winnable game.
8’ - Sampdoria has a free kick and they send the ball into our area. It’s right to Darko Gusic, their fine DC and he heads the ball past Wilke and in. SAMPDORIA GOAL 0-1
44’ - We are playing just fine and have been threatening all half and finally break through. Chiquinho heads a ball up to Moses and our star dribbles through three defenders, cuts in on goal and places an accurate shot past Patzler into the far corner of the goal! DOVER GOAL 1-1
HALFTIME - We’re doing great with possession, holding a whopping 62% of the ball and outshoot them 13-11 (3-4 on target). I’d like more chances but I’m content at 1-1 and will stick with the same tactics for now.
67’ - Sampdoria are definitely the more dangerous team in the first twenty minutes of this half but we work a counter attack and send the ball up to Moses. He turns on the jets and once again cuts through the defence, dribbles into the box and sends a low hard shot past Patzler and IN. HOLY CRAP! Sensational!!! DOVER GOAL 2-1
76’ - We take out Arsene Bamba and bring in Mads Pedersen.
80’ - I bring in Manuel Lugo and take out Chiquinho, as he has a yellow card.
90’+1 - We stall a bit and bring in Rodolfo Lopez to take the place of Gianluca Bolis.
Fantastic win.
Sampdoria 1 - 2 Dover
Goals - Paul Moses 2 (9.1)
Assists - Chiquinho (7.5), Benedikt Raab (6.9)
Man of the Match - Paul Moses
Other Dover Notables - Ingo Wilke (7.3), Salim Loucif (7.0), Neil Cairney (7.0)
Attendance - 48,254
Sampdoria pressed hard that half and had much of the possession but we end up with 54% of the ball while they outshoot us 24-23 (6-5 on target). Moses continues his sensational run and we’re in great shape to move on as we head home for the second leg.
Dover U18 Update
-- The U18s defeat Aldershot 7-1 and we get four goals from Bakary Kone and three goals from Fernando Estrada. Ho hum! Fullback Eneko Remirez nabs two assists in the win.
Premier League Update
-- There are two Tuesday games this week and both end up as draws, as Chelsea and Sunderland tie 1-1 while Southampton and Man City battle to a scoreless draw.
Next Up
-- We stay on the road and head to St. James’ Park to face Newcastle in Premier League play.
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