Match report: Sampdoria 1-1 Inter Milan

Champions Inter travelled to Genoa to face Samp in their opening Serie A fixture.

A familiar face has appeared on the Inter bench: former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. Ricardo Quaresma is no longer joining the Nerazzurri, but Sulley Muntari is Mourinho’s big buy so far.

The Blucerchiati’s primary summer coup was the signing of the brilliant Brat from Bari, Antonio Cassano, on a permanent deal.

The Special One certainly didn’t have things his own way. Inter led despite being second best in the first half, before Samp levelled halfway through the second. The mastery of Cassano, and the workmanship and technical ability of his colleagues, had Inter struggling to get a foothold for large parts of the match.

Though Inter looked tidy enough, Sampdoria more than held their own throughout the early sparring. They created a pair of chances early on, Cassano firing over from distance in the sixth minute, and Paolo Sammarco finding Inter stopper Julio Cesar in his way after being set up by a wonderful accurate pass into the area by Angelo Palombo.

Cassano was at his awe-inspiring best, working hard, beating opponents and creating chances. Of course, he pulled a few faces along the way too.

Inter took the lead against the run of play just after the half hour, not that you’d have noticed from Mourinho’s face. It was a special goal from the Nerazzurri. Zlatan Ibrahimovic played a delightful volleyed one-two with Mancini, who put the Swede in on goal. There was a strong suspicion of handball as Ibrahimovic controlled the return, but the goal stood as the Inter man scuffed the ball in off the far post.

Samp continued to be the better side for the rest of the first half and were unlucky to be behind at the break to a piece of delicate forward play by the champions, while themselves being restricted to far post crosses from the wings.

Jose’s favourite mind game was reprised, delaying the restart by keeping his players in the dressing room longer than necessary. It didn’t work: a stunning passage of one touch football in the 47th minute saw Sampdoria work their way into the penalty area, with the final touch from Gennaro Delvecchio just evading Cassano as he raced in on goal.

As the hour approached, Inter began to control the game for the first time. Luis Figo and Ibrahimovic were linking up well, almost resulting in the Swedish striker playing Figo through on goal with an excellent pass.

Samp helped Inter’s cause by committing men forward in search of an equaliser, allowing the champions several opportunities to counter-attack. But as the game moved into its last 25 minutes, it was the Blucerchiati who were the most incisive - Cassano the architect.

With such pressure being applied, it was almost inevitable that Sampdoria would score an equaliser. In the 68th minute, substitute Marco Padalino’s cross caused chaos in the area. Delvecchio reacted quickest, steering the ball past Cesar with the outside of his right foot to bring the home side level.

Inter should have won it on 86. Tricky footwork on the spot from Ibrahimovic gave him enough space to place a left footed cross perfectly on the head of Luis Jiminez, but the Chilean could only head over.

Samp will be very pleased with their performance and can consider themselves unlucky to not have taken all three points. Scudetto hopefuls AC Milan and Juventus will be encouraged by the fact that Inter looked eminently beatable throughout.

Goals
Sampdoria: Delvecchio (67)
Inter Milan: Ibrahimovic (33)

Man of the Match: Antonio Cassano, Sampdoria

(Photo Credit: Sportbeat.tv)