Inter 3-0 Sampdoria: Perisic perhaps waved goodbye with a goal, Inter placed 2nd

Game is over and the final score is Inter 3-0 Sampdoria. Here is the match report.

Match Report

The Nerazzurri knew they had to win here and hope Milan lost to Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium to retain their title, as they were two points behind the leaders with an inferior head-to-head record. Roberto Gagliardini was the only injury absentee for the hosts, while Omar Colley was suspended with Sebastian Giovinco, Manolo Gabbiadini, Andrea Conti and Albin Ekdal sidelined.

Hakan Calhanoglu tested Emil Audero from distance, but the first genuine chance was a Lautaro Martinez header on Ivan Perisic’s cross that grazed a coat of paint off the near pos

Antonio Candreva drilled across the face of goal and just wide, while Maya Yoshida got his boot to a Nicolò Barella daisy-cutter and Tucu Correa’s header was palmed away.

Audero parried the Lautaro Martinez snapshot, but they went into the break not only at 0-0, but also hearing Milan were leading 3-0 away to Sassuolo.

The Sampdoria goalkeeper was again decisive, rushing off his line and making himself big to get a hand to Barella’s effort after a quick give and go.

Inter did finally take the lead when Barella burst through the middle and laid it off with a no-look pass for Perisic to sweep across Audero with the inside of the left boot.

That broke the dam and Calhanoglu set up Joaquin Correa to curl first-time into the far bottom corner. Moments later, Candreva’s shot was charged down, sparking a counter-attack that saw Correa complete his brace by shaking off a defender and nutmegging another with the finish.

During that move, Perisic hurt his right calf and had to be stretchered off. Audero denied Stefan de Vrij and Yoshida got in the way of the Lautaro Martinez follow-up, while Toro forced another low Audero save.

Samir Handanovic had to use his legs to keep out Francesco Caputo and then Tommaso Augello’s strike too.

Match Events

0' KICK-OFF! Who can win this match?

4' Yellow Card! Yoshida booked

23' CLOSE! Lautaro’s header wide out

26' CLOSE! Lautaro’s shot too straight

28' Yellow Card! Barella booked

48' GOAL! Inter 1-0 Sampdoria (Perisic)

54' GOAL! Inter 2-0 Sampdoria (Correa)

56' GOAL! Inter 3-0 Sampdoria (Correa)

65' Yellow Card! Ferrari booked

Line-ups

Inter XI: Perisic, Handanovic, De Vrij, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Skriniar, Correa, Barella, Dumfries, Lautaro, Bastoni

Subs: Sanchez, Vidal, Darmian, A. Cordaz, Dzeko, Caicedo, Ranocchia, D'Ambrosio, Vecino, Dimarco, Gosens, Radu

Sampdoria XI: Yoshida, Candreva, Rincon, F. Caputo, Bereszynski, T. Augello, M. Thorsby, E. Audero, A.Ferrari, R. Vieira Nan, A.Sabiri

Subs: Quagliarella, N. Ravaglia, Murru, W. Falcone, Sensi, G. Magnani, M. Damsgaard, Kristoffer Askildsen, S. Trimboli, Marco Somma, G. Yepes, Lorenzo Di Stefano