Sampdoria 0 - 5 Inter: Goalfest for the Nerazzurri at Marassi!

GENOA - Luciano Spalletti’s side sent a message in the race for Champions League football with a big 5-0 win away at Marassi in the lunchtime kick-off on matchday 29 of Serie A TIM. Ivan Perisic scored the opener before Mauro Icardi netted four to reach the milestone of 100 Inter goals. Thanks to the win, Inter move up to 55 points in the table and are currently fourth ahead of the Roma and Lazio matches and before the #DerbyMilano is played. 

Straight from the start, Inter showed which way the match would go. Two minutes in, Cancelo played a teasing cross from the right that Icardi just failed to reach with his head. The captain tried again in the 13th minute when he failed to connect cleanly with a low cross from Candreva. After the 20th minute, Inter were playing with flair. Over the course of 120 seconds, Rafinha failed to apply a finish from close range, Viviano then saved a powerful strike from Perisic and a D’Ambrosio header before a corner from Cancelo struck the woodwork. The opening goal came in the 26th minute. A floated cross from Cancelo was headed home by Perisic who left the Sampdoria goalkeeper with no chance. Four minutes later, Inter doubled the lead. Barreto brought down Rafinha in the box and the referee pointed to the spot and Mauro Icardi made no mistake after stepping up to take it, scoring his 100th goal in Serie A. The Nerazzurri show continued. On 31 minutes, Icardi picked up a loose ball in the area and beat Viviano with a spectacular back heel to make it 0-3. Giampaolo looked to change things by bringing Verre on for Bereszynski and Doria got up the pitch with Praet who forced a save from the feet of Handanovic. Zapata then hit the post from a Murru cross. It was then Icardi’s turn again to strike in the 44th minute. Viviano saved a backheel from Rafinha but the rebound fell to Mauro who was in position to turn home into the open goal and make it 0-4 before the break. 

The second half picked up where the first had left off with an Icardi goal. In the 51st minute, the Inter captain made the most of a Barreto mistake to beat Viviano with a volley that bounced off the ground to loop over the goalkeeper. The figures were crazy for Mauro. It was his fourth goal in the match, the 22nd this season, his 103rd in Serie A and his 100th in an Inter shirt. At 0-5, Spalletti brought his skipper off to a standing ovation from the Nerazzurri fans and Eder was brought on in the 66th minute. With the result already secure, Inter kept the match under wraps although in the 70th minute some sloppy work in possession gave Sampdoria the chance to have more possession of the ball. There was a great chance for Candreva in the 77th minute after he was set up by Perisic but his effort from inside the box was blocked. On 81 minutes, Eder let fly with a powerful effort as the ball was dipping but it missed the target. The final whistle arrived with no stoppage time awarded and Sampdoria vs. Inter finished 0-5! 

SAMPDORIA 0-5 INTER 

Goals: 26' Perisic, 30', 32' pen., 44' and 51' Icardi

SAMPDORIA: 2 Viviano; 24 Bereszynski (34' 21 Verre), 26 Silvestre, 13 Ferrari, 29 Murru; 8 Barreto (54' 19 Regini), 34 Torreira, 18 Praet; 90 Ramirez (50' 9 Caprari); 27 Quagliarella, 91 Zapata

Bench: 72 Belec, 92 Tozzo, 3 Andersen, 11 Alvarez, 17 Strinic, 28 Capezzi, 30 Tessiore, 99 Kownacki

Coach: Marco Giampaolo

INTER: 1 Handanovic; 7 Cancelo, 37 Skriniar, 25 Miranda, 33 D'Ambrosio; 77 Brozovic, 5 Gagliardini; 87 Candreva (77' 11 Vecino), 8 Rafinha (75' 20 B. Valero), 44 Perisic; 9 Icardi (66' 23 Eder)

Bench: 27 Padelli, 46 Berni, 2 Lisandro, 8 Rafinha, 17 Karamoh, 21 Santon, 29 Dalbert

Coach: Luciano Spalletti

Stoppage Time: 1' + 0'

Bookings: Ramirez (S), Caprari (S), Rafinha (I)

Referee: Tagliavento

Assistants: Ranghetti, Mondin

Fourth Official: Pinzani

VAR Operators: Mazzoleni, Paganessi