Inter thrashed Sampdoria 4-0 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday afternoon in Serie A.
Mauro Icardi scored a brace for the Nerazzurri against his old club and his compatriots Walter Samuel and Rodrigo Palacio added to the scoresheet. Sampdoria’s Eder was given a red card in the first half and Sampdoria Primavera captain Mattia Lombardo made his senior debut.
The match started with Icardi failing to hit the target for Inter and then Maxi Lopez’s angled his drive straight at Samir Handanovic.
Icardi put Inter ahead after 12 minutes when he ran in at the near post to convert Rodrigo Palacio’s cross from the right-wing.
Gianluca Sansone’s long-range shot flew over the bar and then Daniele Gastaldello won a penalty after he was fouled by Andrea Ranocchia in the penalty box. Handanovic guessed the right way and saved Maxi Lopez’s penalty after 17 minutes.
Eder was then given a red card after receiving two yellows on 21 minutes. The first one was for diving and the second was for arguing with Inter defender Rolando.
Samp played better when they were a man down and Maxi Lopez’s turn and shot forced another save out of Handanovic. The Slovenian keeper was just as alert when he had to parry a Sansone free-kick from flying into the top corner.
Sampdoria went on the counterattack with Lorenzo De Silvestri centering for Soriano, whose volley made Handanovic tip the ball over the bar.
The Nerazzurri lead by a goal at half-time but the Blucerchiati attacked more after the Icardi goal and more so after the Eder sending-off.
Sansone went on a solo run and his shot from distance did not hit the target. Palacio then put a shot wide and he failed to hit the target with another opportunity minutes later.
Palacio nearly made it 2-0 for Inter but Angelo Da Costa had the near post well-covered.
After 61 minutes, Walter Samuel doubled Inter’s lead when he headed in a corner and Icardi scored Inter’s third goal after 63 minutes after an Inter counterattack opened up the Samp defence.
Palacio laid off a pass for the ex-Sampdoria striker and he slotted the ball in from a tight angle.
Maxi Lopez was still trying to score a goal and his shot from just outside of the box just missed the target.
Palacio got onto the scoresheet after 79 minutes after surging down the left-wing and then slotting a right-foot shot past Da Costa in the Samp goal.
Mattia Lombardo, the son of Doria legend Attilio, came on for Samp and replaced Angelo Palombo after 84 minutes.
Diego Milto found Danilo D’Ambrosio on the right side of the penalty box but the wing-back pulled his shot over the bar to close out a comfortable victory for the Nerazzurri.
