Inter survive a spell of pressure from Sampdoria as stoppage time winds down. Skriniar has been a colossus for the hosts.
90' +3
Mario runs down precious seconds after winning a free-kick near the halfway line.
90' +2
Gabbiadini sees his shot blocked as Inter put 11 men behind the ball.
90' +1
Five minutes have been added on by the fourth official, an announcement that hasn't gone down well with the home support.
89'
M. Vecino enters the game and replaces R. Nainggolan.
Nainggolan is greeted by a standing ovation as he walks off the pitch, thanks to his possible winning strike. Vecino will play out the dying moments.
87'
Sampdoria are not out of this yet. Gabbiadini's teasing delivery evades De Vrij before Skriniar has to mop up and concede a corner.
86'
Martinez chases down a lost cause and gives away a foul, after running into Audero.
85'
Nainggolan is involved in everything at the moment, as he wins a corner following hard running on the right-hand side.
D'Ambrosio pops up again in the Sampdoria box, lashing a shot wide of the goal, but the offside flag is up anyway. Does he know which position he's supposed to be playing?
81'
J. Sala enters the game and replaces B. Bereszyński.
R. Vieira enters the game and replaces A. Ekdal.
Former Leeds United man Vieira comes on for Ekdal.
Bereszyński, who was well beaten on the left wing for Inter's first, makes way for Sala.
Minute
Description
78'
R. Nainggolan has scored a goal for Inter Milan! Assist by M. Škriniar.
Skriniar did so well to play his part and beat several other players to the loose ball.
GOOOOAAAAL! Nainggolan is ready and waiting on the edge of the box from a corner to slam home after Skriniar's knock-down. Audero didn't even move, unsighted by the sea of bodies in front of him. 2-1 Inter!
75'
M. Gabbiadini has scored a goal for Sampdoria!
M. Gabbiadini enters the game and replaces R. Saponara.
Gabbiadini arrives to replace Saponara.
GOOOOAAAL! Sampdoria equalise! The ball falls for Gabbiadini inside the Inter area, and he has time to set himself and finish so, so calmly. Those were his first few touches... 1-1.
73'
D. D'Ambrosio has scored a goal for Inter Milan!
GOOOOOAAAALL! Inter finally have their goal and it's D'Ambrosio! Perisic glides past Bereszynski before prodding a cross towards the back post, where the onrushing defender steams in to make it 1-0!
72'
Inter go close twice in the space of thirty seconds. First, Martinez breaks away down the left before crossing for Candreva, who couldn't quite steer home. Then Perisic forces a low stop from Audero.
70'
Another scramble in Sampdoria's box somehow doesn't find the killer touch. Perisic had the best chance, only to see his volley blocked.
69'
A. Candreva enters the game and replaces M. Politano.
Politano is subbed off straight after that attack. Candreva comes on.
68'
Politano has often been Inter's main attacking threat on that dangerous left foot, but his most recent effort flashes just wide of far post.
64'
Another phase, another foul by Martinez on Tonelli.
63'
Nainggolan looks for Martinez with a hopeful first-time pass, but the bounce isn't kind for the isolated Inter striker as he tried to break into the Sampdoria box.
61'
An Inter attack breaks down due to miscommunication between Politano and Nainggolan, who was given too much to do following a backheel pass down the right wing.
60'
Quagliarella and Saponara link up well on the left-hand side for the visitors. Dalbert then gets in the way to block the latter's shot.
59'
João Mário enters the game and replaces R. Gagliardini.
The first change of the game sees Gagliardini make way for Joao Mario. This looks to be an attempt by Spalletti to bridge the gap between Martinez and the Inter midfield.
57'
Brozovic drags Saponara back to give Sampdoria an inviting free-kick, which they can't make use of.
56'
Tonelli and Martinez's duel has been an interesting subplot at the San Siro. The Sampdoria defender uses all of his experience to win a free-kick in his half and momentarily ease the pressure.
52'
Inter and Sampdoria are in danger of letting history down. Both teams have found the net in six of the last seven Serie A meetings here.
50'
Perisic waits too long to cross for Martinez, who was lurking in the box. Inter win a corner from the attack anyway, but D'Ambrosio's header is off target.
48'
Perisic finds Martinez with a throughball, only for the offside flag to go up. The Argentine looked to have a yard of pace on Sampdoria's defence, too.
46'
Inter restart the action here.
45' +3
HALF-TIME: INTER 0-0 SAMPDORIA
45' +1
The ball is in the net for Inter but it's flagged offside, D'Ambrosio the man penalised.
45'
A late flurry from Inter in this half sees Brozovic float a ball towards Martinez, who can't leap high enough to meet it.
44'
Martinez is fouled by Andersen as we close in on half-time.
42'
Quagliarella goes for glory from 30 yards-plus, but fires high into the stands. The Inter fans enjoyed that one.
41'
Gagliardini overhits a lofted pass from the right wing to Perisic, waiting at the back post. The latter appreciates the intent, though.
39'
Perisic tests the referee's patience by taking a quick throw-in before he was supposed to. The Croatia international is on a yellow card...
37'
Oh dear. Audero has just spared himself a nightmare moment. Perisic bobbles a shot towards the Sampdoria keeper which squirms through his legs, and almost over the line, only for a last ditch save.
35'
Linetty slides in Saponara, who shoots from an awkward angle when perhaps he should have passed across goal.
34'
Brozovic tries a cute pass towards two Inter players running into the Sampdoria box, before Politano drags a shot wide.
33'
It's end to end stuff at the moment. Quagliarella's failed cut-back leads to a swift Inter counter-attack.
31'
M. Škriniar gets yellow.
Skriniar notches booking number four of this half between both teams, following a challenge on Saponara.
30'
On the edge of the box, Martinez's knock-down is met by Nainggolan, whose first time shot can't quite bend back inside the far post. Another chance that could have been sublime.
29'
Brozovic tees up Dalbert for a volleyed effort from distance and it would have been some goal. The defender dragged his ambitious effort just too far to the right.
28'
K. Linetty gets yellow.
Linetty chops down Politano after the ball had gone and goes into the book. The free-kick is in a dangerous spot, just to the right of Sampdoria's area.
27'
Perisic has to be careful his frustration doesn't boil over. The wide man wasn't happy with an overhit pass from one of his Inter team-mates.
24'
I. Perišić gets yellow.
Perisic shouts at the referee after a foul goes against him, earning the Croatian a booking for dissent.
23'
Sampdoria are growing in confidence as the first half progresses.
21'
Handanovic comes off his line to uncertainly slap away a Sampdoria corner. The new Inter captain then catches the second delivery.
20'
Perisic has just finished receiving treatment after putting his head in harm's way during that set-piece.
18'
Quagliarella chooses to take the free-kick himself from 30 yards out, but can only fire straight at the Inter wall.
17'
D. D'Ambrosio gets yellow.
Saponara aims for Quagliarella with a ball over the top, before D'Ambrosio trips the forward to earn a yellow card. Some wanted a red.
16'
Murru gives Inter a cheap corner following Perisic's floated cross to the back post. No one appeared to immediately threaten the Sampdoria defender.
14'
Martinez is adjudged to have shoved Tonelli while the pair battled for a high ball in Sampdoria's half.
13'
Any Sampdoria player on the ball is instantly rushed by two Inter players on the press. The visitors are finding it difficult to fashion chances at the moment.
11'
Politano creates space to shoot outside the Sampdoria box, checking in from the right, only for his powerful effort to go over the crossbar.
10'
Icardi has been pictured sitting in the stands, despite reports suggesting he wouldn't be at the San Siro whatsoever.
8'
Ekdal is fouled in the centre of the park by Gagliardini as Sampdoria try to create their first attack.
6'
A brilliant curling pass from Gagliardini frees Martinez in behind, with just the keeper to beat. The angle quickly becomes difficult and the Argentine can only finish straight at Audero.
3'
Inter are trying to play out from the back in the early stages here but it's a bit sloppy so far.
1'
We're underway at the San Siro.
Gagliardini wins an early free kick after Murru's late challenge.
While their relationship with former club captain Mauro Icardi continues to unravel, Inter also have to worry about holding down third place, with fierce rivals AC Milan hot on their heels and just a point behind. Inter can record a fourth consecutive league victory over today’s opponents for the first time since 1985 with another triumph. However, the Nerazzurri couldn’t find the net in either of their last two home matches in Serie A. 1992 was the last time they failed to score in three.
The wider picture for Sampdoria on their travels doesn’t offer much hope either. Marco Giampaolo’s men have won just one of their last eight Serie A away trips, and that was against struggling Empoli in December. What the Blucerchiati do have is proven quality in 16-goal man Fabio Quagliarella, who bagged the winner here in a 2-1 comeback almost two years ago.
INTER (4-2-3-1): Samir Handanovic; Danilo D’Ambrosio, Stefan de Vrij, Milan Skriniar, Dalbert; Roberto Gagliardini, Marcelo Brozovic, Matteo Politano, Radja Nainggolan, Ivan Perisic; Lautaro Martinez.
INTER SUBS: Daniele Padelli, Kwadwo Asamoah, Miranda, Andrea Ranocchia, Cedric Soares, Antonio Candreva, Joao Mario, Borja Valero, Matias Vecino.
SAMPDORIA (4-3-1-2): Emil Audero; Bartosz Bereszynski, Lorenzo Tonelli, Joachim Andersen, Nicola Murru; Dennis Praet, Albin Ekdal, Karol Linetty, Riccardo Saponara; Gregoire Defrel, Fabio Quagliarella.
SAMPDORIA SUBS: Rafael Cabral, Vid Belec, Ronaldo Vieira, Jacopo Sala, Mohamed Bahlouli, Omar Colley, Marco Sau, Junior Tavares, Manolo Gabbiadini, Alex Ferrari.
It’s anyone’s game between Inter and Sampdoria following a frenetic first half of action. Martinez ought to have done better for the hosts with a one-on-one chance six minutes in, only able to shoot straight at Audero. The Sampdoria keeper was then almost the architect of his own downfall shortly before the interval, as Perisic’s shot nearly trickled over the line, having squirmed through his legs. Quagliarella, Defrel and Saponara have all been a handful for the visitors.
Spalletti will hope his creative hub can find Martinez more and get upfield to support the striker on the counter. Meanwhile, the longer this contest goes on, Sampdoria might fancy stealing a result, having given D’Ambrosio in particular a tough time down Inter’s right-hand side.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Serie A meeting between Inter and Sampdoria at the San Siro.
Enjoyment of this evening’s victory will be brief before attention turns back to Icardi’s future at Inter. Spalletti’s team face Rapid Vienna on Thursday and then a difficult visit to Fiorentina next weekend, as they start to prepare for the Milan derby in mid-March. Comfortably mid-table, Sampdoria can bounce back against Cagliari on Sunday. That concludes our coverage, thanks for reading along.
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