OVER! A teasing cross is delivered into the penalty area for Murri, whose first-time volley is blazed well over the bar. That could be Sampdoria's final opportunity.
90'
Éder gets yellow.
Frustration from Inter as Perisic misplaces a pass for Eder, and the substitute then commits a cynical foul to prevent Sampdoria launching a counter-attack, earning himself a yellow card.
There shall be THREE minutes of additional time!
89'
Wow, what a game - and it isn't over yet! Sampdoria still have time to find an unlikely equaliser. Inter are on the ropes...
88'
R. Gagliardini gets yellow.
Inter's Gagliardini goes into the book.
87'
Éder enters the game and replaces M. Icardi.
lnter make their third and final change: Icardi makes way for Eder.
85'
F. Quagliarella has scored a goal for Sampdoria! Assist by D. Praet.
F. Quagliarella gets yellow.
Assist Dennis Praet
GOAAAALLLLL! Dennis Praet curls in a pin-point cross from deep, finding Quagliarella who heads home emphatically for Sampdoria's second. Game on!
Yellow card Fabio Quagliarella
84'
D. Santon enters the game and replaces Y. Nagatomo.
A second change from the hosts who are intent on running the clock down: Nagatomo replaces Davide Santon.
81'
Inter look to play the ball out from the back, but end up giving the ball away! A cross is sent in from the left channel, but Sampdoria fail to get players in the home side's penalty area and Nagatomo can head back to his goalkeeper.
80'
Inter clear from the set-piece, but it isn't long before Sampdoria regain possession. The home side have nearly every man in their own half now in a bid to defend their lead.
79'
A neat passage of football from Sampdoria culminates in Kownacki winning a corner. Can they muster a second goal?
Minute
Description
77'
STAT: Prior to Icardi, the last Inter player to reach double figures in the league for four seasons in a row was Christian Vieri.
75'
Kownacki's consolation goal has given the visitors a lifeline as we go into the final 15 minutes of the game. Sampdoria have been much improved in the second period, but surely it is too little, too late?!
74'
João Mário enters the game and replaces M. Vecino.
Finally, Inter make their first change in personnel of the evening: Vecino is replaced by Joao Mario.
73'
Caprari wins the ball from Miranda in the Inter half, and Quagliarella pounces. However, his forward run is brought to a halt as the referee felt Caprari commited a foul.
71'
The hosts win their eighth corner of the game. They work the ball short, eventually finding Miranda at the back post. He takes a touch, takes on his man and tries a shot from a tight angle. It is blocked and Sampdoria survive. Slightly selfish from the veteran.
69'
Inter need to thread carefully here. If the visitors manage to score a second then suddenly it is game on. Surely it is only a matter of time before Spalletti makes his first substitute.
68'
CHANCE! Caprari's through ball finds Quagliarella, but he flashes his shot wide. He looks down at the ground, but I'm not sure why, that was an awful miss.
67'
Candreva's cross is over-cooked, it looks awkward for Puggioni, but the ball loops over the top of the crossbar.
66'
K. Linetty enters the game and replaces É. Barreto.
Sampdoria make their third and final substitution: Barreto makes way for Karol Linetty.
64'
D. Kownacki has scored a goal for Sampdoria! Assist by F. Quagliarella.
Assist Fabio Quagliarella
Goal! Sampdoria grab a consolation! Dawid Kownacki makes a scurrying run to the back post to reach Quagliarella's lofted cross, and the substitute tucks the ball in at the far post.
62'
OFF THE CROSSBAR! For the third time this evening, Inter are denied by the woodwork! A beautiful reverse pass by Icardi releases Perisic who proceeds to smashing the ball straight at the crossbar.
61'
N. Murru gets yellow.
Murru goes into the referee's book for a foul on D'Ambrosio.
59'
Quagliarella blasts over from distance, and this is turning into a miserable evening for Sampdoria. They are heading for their second defeat of the season.
57'
D. Kownacki enters the game and replaces D. Zapata.
The visitors showing some signs of tiredness, and make their second change in personnel - Zapata off, Dawid Kownacki is on.
55'
Sampdoria had started the second half on the front-foot, but that goal will surely kill their momentum.
54'
M. Icardi has scored a goal for Inter Milan! Assist by I. Perišić.
Perisic grabs the assist. He was played in behind the Samporia defence, glanced up to find Icardi in space and played the pass.
GOAL! An incisive attack from Inter culminates in their third goal. Icardi is picked out at the back post by Perisic, and he taps into a gaping net for his second of the game. A simple goal; Sampdoria unlocked at the back all too easily.
53'
Inter have their first attempt of the second period, but it doesn't come close to extending their lead as Vecino screws his shot well wide.
51'
The visitors win a corner, but Quagliarella wastes the opportunity with a poor delivery.
50'
Much better from Sampdoria - Quagliarella curls a teasing cross for Zapata, who can't quite get it under control under pressure from a couple of Inter defenders.
49'
Inter have made a slow start to the second half - something similar to the way they began the first period. Some complacency is sneaking in, perhaps.
48'
Handanovic has yet to be tested tonight. To be fair, the Inter goalkeeper has been well protected by his back four, but Sampdoria have lacked ideas in the final third.
47'
The visitors win a free-kick, 25 yards from goal, in a wide position. It isn't the best effort from Caprari who curls his shot into the side-netting.
46'
G. Caprari enters the game and replaces G. Ramírez.
The second period begins. Sampdoria have been extremely poor thus far, and Giampaolo is determined to improve things - he replaces Ramírez with Gianluca Caprari in an attempt to so.
45' +1
CHANCE! Nicola Murru drills a ball across the Inter goal for Zapata, but the forward doesn't make a clean connection and ends up comfortably in the arms of Handanovic.
45'
Only one minute will be added on at the end of the first half.
44'
Sampdoria's defence is looking increasingly vulnerable; they somehow make a mess of their clearance and concede a corner. This time Inter cannot capitalise.
43'
Inter deal with Sampdoria's free-kick, and launch a dangerous counter-attack. A weighted pass is played to Candreva in a wide area, but Gian Ferrari is across to make an important challenge, coming away with the ball.
41'
Nagatomo appears to have fallen awkwardly, and he will require some treatment. A concern for Spalletti.
40'
OFF THE POST, AGAIN! Valero forces a corner which Candreva swings into the Sampdoria penalty area... and it's off the post from Icardi who is denied his second by the slimmest of margins. He was left unmarked, but the visitors get away with this one.
38'
A long ball from midfield catches the Inter defence flat-footed, but fortunately for the hosts Quagliarella had strayed into an offside position.
37'
Icardi has now SEVEN goals in his last five games at the San Siro. He is an extremely dangerous player when in the mood.
35'
Ten minutes until the half-time break, and you would imagine Giampaolo will be relieved if his side can keep the scoreline at 2-0. Inter's free-flowing football has been nearly impossible to cope with.
33'
My, my - what a performance this has been from Inter. As it stands, they will top Serie A, for tonight anyway.
32'
M. Icardi has scored a goal for Inter Milan!
GOAL! Icardi doubles Inter's advantage with a scintillating first-time half-volley from Candreva's deflected cross which sneaks in past Puggioni. He never took his eye off the ball, and his technique was wonderful. A lovely goal.
30'
Puggioni is alert to push away Icardi's powerful effort. Sampdoria are just about surviving now.
29'
OFF THE POST! Puggioni races off his line to clear, but only finds Perisic. The Croatian tries an audacious lob from 40 yards, somehow the ball hits the post and bounces into the arms of Sampdoria's relieved goalkeeper. What a bizarre but spectacular goal that would have been!
27'
Sampdoria have been pretty in possession, but lack ideas in attack. Just now Edgar Barreto tries to stab a pass through the Inter penalty area, but the home defence easily make the clearance.
25'
Candreva's shot from the edge of the penalty area is blocked, before Roberto Gagliardini wins the home side a free-kick.
24'
MISS! Inter are upping the ante in search of a second goal now. Candreva finds Icardi with a low cross, but the forward screws his first-time volley well wide of goal from 12 yards.
23'
Borja Valero links up well with Perisic, the latter gets to the by-line and delivers a cross, however it is straight into the arms of Puggioni. Icardi was in a good position to apply the finish in the penalty area!
21'
The home side made a slow start, but they are very much on top now. They win another corner, but this time Sampdoria manage to clear.
20'
Full credit to Skriniar, the Inter defender did not celebrate against his former club.
18'
M. Škriniar has scored a goal for Inter Milan! Assist by M. Vecino.
Matías Vecino will register the assist; the Inter midfielder glanced the cross into Skriniar's path.
GOAL! Skriniar scores against his former club! The corner delivery is headed on to Skriniar at the back post, the defender takes a touch before slotting it past Puggioni. Inter are ahead.
17'
GOOD SAVE! Candreva surges forward, is allowed to run into the penalty area and smashes a shot low and hard at goal. Puggioni does well to beat it away, and a defender reacts first to clear it behind. Inter have a corner now...
15'
Nagatomo now wins a free-kick for Inter in a wide area. The hosts eventually work the set-piece wide, with Perisic pulling the ball back to D'Ambrosisi whose first-time effort goes wide at the near post.
13'
End-to-end stuff as now Samporia come forward in numbers as they launch an attack on the break. However, Yuto Nagatomo is alert in the Inter defence to make a vital interception from Ramirez's pass.
12'
Better from Perisic! The Inter wideman brushes his marker off the ball and is allowed to cut inside. He has Icardi at the back post, but opts to shoot from a tight angle, but it is a comfortable save for Christian Puggioni.
10'
Inter are looking dangerous on the counter-attack, however. A deflected cross falls into the path of Perisic, whose shot is fired well over the bar. Wouldn't have counted anyway, as the Croatian used his hand to control the ball.
8'
Neither side have made a fluent start to the game, but the visiting manager Giampaolo will be happiest at the moment.
7'
STAT: Sampdoria have won this top flight fixture only eight times along with 16 draws and 36 defeats.
5'
JUST WIDE! This is much better from Inter; Antonio Candreva is invited to have a shot from 25 yards and he doesn't need asking twice, his effort is dipping and swerving, drifting just inches wide of the top corner. That would have been some goal.
4'
Zapata, Sampdoria's record signing, flashes a shot just over the bar from the edge of the penalty area as Sampdoria's early dominance continues. Inter just aren't at the races at the moment.
3'
Ramirez drives to the by-line and delivers a cross inside a packed penalty area, but it evades all of his team mates and Inter can hack the danger clear. The visitors have started brightly.
2'
Dogged stuff from Sampdoria's forward Quagliarella as he wins the ball for the visitors in the opposition half, runs at the defence but fires his angled shot well wide of Samir Handovic's goal.
1'
KICK-OFF! Inter, playing from left to right, get the game underway.
Perisic has produced an impressive performance in Inter's attack, but he also fulfils his defensive duties now as he slides in to deny Quagliarella inside the box.
After seven wins from nine matches, unbeaten Inter will move above Napoli at the top of the league with victory this evening. They may be favourites to do so, but sixth-placed Sampdoria have also made a solid start to the season, accruing 17 points from eight games, and should pose a threat to Luciano Spalleti’s side.
Good evening and welcome to our live text commentary of Inter versus Sampdoria in Serie A at the San Siro.
Spalletti uses the same starting line-up that held Napoli to a goalless draw at the weekend. Mauro Icardi spearheads the attack against his old club, supported by Antonio Candreva, Borja Valero and Ivan Perisic. In defence, former Sampdoria player Milan Skriniar is at centre-back.
Meanwhile, for the visitors, Gaston Ramirez plays behind strikers Duvan Zapata and Fabio Quagliarella, meaning former Inter star Ricky Alvarez is on the bench. Lucas Torreira has been linked with a move to Inter, and will be aiming to impress in midfield.
Sampdoria have lost only once so far this campaign - a 4-0 defeat to Udinese - and can move into fifth with a victory. They should be full of confidence after thrashing Crotone 5-0 at the weekend.
The players are out on the pitch now and we are only moments from kick-off. Stay right there for all the action!
HALF-TIME: Inter 2-0 Sampdoria.
A goal from former Sampdoria defender Skriniar and a lovely strike by Icardi gives Inter a comfortable two-goal lead at the break. The home side have been completely dominant, and, in truth, are unfortunate not to be leading by more. They have spurned a number of opportunities with Perisic and Icardi both striking the woodwork. As it stands, Inter will leapfrog Napoli into top spot in Serie A.
FULL-TIME: The relief is palpable in the San Siro as Inter hold on to claim a hard-fought three points.
A first-half goal from former Sampdoria defender Skriniar and a brace by Icardi gave Inter a comfortable lead going into the last half hour, but all of their good work was nearly undone: Kownacki's strike gave the visitors a lifeline and Quagliarella bagged a goal late on, but Spalletti's side held on. Inter are now top of the league, at least for tonight, as they leapfrog Napoli who play at Genoa on Wednesday evening.
Commentary
More…