Serie A, Sampdoria 1-2 Milan: Rossoneri maintain unbeaten start despite Leao red card

Stefano
Pioli’s
champions
were
dominant
in
the
first
half
at
Stadio
Luigi
Ferraris
and
went
in
at
the
break
a
goal
up
thanks
to
Junior
Messias’ early
strike
–
his
first
of
the
season.

However,
Leao
received
a
second
yellow
card
two
minutes
after
half-time
for
a
high
foot,
giving
Samp
the
impetus
to
level
through
Filip
Djuricic
shortly
before
the
hour
mark.

Results
|

Fixtures

Rather
than
concede
again,
though,
Milan
snatched
all
three
points
in
the
67th
minute
when
Olivier
Giroud
slammed
in
from
the
penalty
spot
after
Gonzalo
Villar
had
handled
in
the
area.

The
Rossoneri
went
ahead
in
the
sixth
minute
when
Messias
finished
from
12
yards
following
a
flowing
move
involving
Giroud
and
Leao,
although
goalkeeper
Emil
Audero
will
feel
he
should
have
done
more.

Djuricic
whipped
against
the
crossbar
from
20
yards
soon
after,
before
Charles
de
Ketelaere
was
denied
a
first
Milan
goal
when
his
bundled
effort
was
ruled
out
for
offside
after
a
lengthy
VAR
review.

Milan
were
dealt
a
blow
immediately
after
the
break
when
Leao
received
a
second
booking
after
he
struck
Alex
Ferrari
in
the
face
when
attempting
an
overhead
kick.

And
Samp
capitalised
on
their
numerical
advantage
in
the
57th
minute
when
Djuricic
headed
home
Tommaso
Augello’s
cross
inside
the
six-yard
box.

But
Milan
had
the
final
word
as
Giroud
hit
the
roof
of
the
net
from
12
yards
after
the
VAR
had
spotted
a
handball
by
Villar,
prompting
a
pitchside
review
from
referee
Michael
Fabbri.

Samp
still
came
agonisingly
close
to
rescuing
a
point
in
a
late
scramble
as
Mike
Maignan
twice
denied
Manolo
Gabbiadini
either
side
of
a
Fabio
Quagliarella
effort
that
struck
the
post.

Instead,
a
frustrating
defeat
ended
with
coach
Marco
Giampaolo
sent
off
for
remonstrating
with
Fabbri.

What
does
it
mean?
Milan
march
on
as
Samp’s
misery
continues

Milan’s
title
defence
has
started
strongly,
with
Pioli’s
men
winning
four
of
their
first
six
games.

They
are
level
on
points
with
leaders
Napoli,
although
third-placed
Atalanta
–
one
point
back
–
play
on
Sunday
(September
11).

Meanwhile,
Samp
have
only
picked
up
two
points
this
season,
equalling
their
worst
haul
after
six
games
in
a
top-flight
campaign.
They
remain
in
18th.

Giroud
delivers
again

Giroud
once
again
proved
he
is
the
man
for
the
big
moments
with
a
coolly
dispatched
penalty
to
seal
maximum
points
for
his
side.
It
was
no
less
than
he
deserved,
given
he
had
seven
shots
–
five
more
than
any
other
Milan
player.

Leao
blots
copybook

Leao’s
red
card
cut
short
what
had
been
a
superb
performance
from
the
Portugal
international.
The
23-year-old
had
two
shots
and
created
three
chances
–
a
total
not
bettered
by
anyone
on
the
pitch
–
before
he
connected
with
Ferrari’s
face
when
attempting
an
acrobatic
finish.

What’s
next?

Milan
host
Dinamo
Zagreb
in
Champions
League
Group
E
on
Wednesday
(September
14)
before
welcoming
Napoli
to
San
Siro
in
Serie
A
on
Sunday
(September
18)
–
the
day
after
Sampdoria
visit
Spezia.