Preview - Sampdoria vs Inter Milan March 18 2018

[Harry85]

Match Day 29
Sampdoria vs Inter Milan
Sunday, March 18th, 2018
19:30 pm (GMT+8 Timing)
Stadium: Stadio Luigi Ferraris

Sampdoria: 
Last five matches form: D W L W L
Average goals per match: 1.7
Average goals against per match: 1.4
Top Scorer: Fabio Quagliarella

Inter Milan:
Last five matches form: D W L W D
Average goals per match: 1.6
Average goals against per match: 0.8
Top Scorer: Mauro Icardi (18)

A big game at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris this coming Sunday, with both Sampdoria and Inter Milan having a lot on the line in terms of European qualification. Seventh placed Sampdoria need to keep winning if they are to haul in AC Milan for the final Europa League spot. Inter meanwhile currently sit in fifth, just one point behind Lazio who occupy the fourth Champions League position.

Sampdoria may have a problem at right-back here with both regular starter Bartosz Bereszynski and backup Jacopo Sala facing a race against time to prove their fitness.

Inter Milan are in the enviable position of having a fully fit squad to choose from.

Following a scintillating start to the season, which saw Inter Milan go unbeaten in their first 16 matches, the form of the Nerazzuri has tailed off markedly off late, with just two wins in their past 12 games. They do remain tough to beat though having only lost one of their past eight.

Sampdoria are a very good side at home, winning 10 of 14, and they remain the only team to beat Juventus's away from the Juventus Stadium this season.

A tough one to call overall, we would lean towards Sampdoria but they were so bad away at Crotone last week that its hard to be confident about them overcoming a stubborn Inter side. This looks like a draw.
 

Prediction: Sampdoria 2 - 2 Inter Milan

[Harry85]

Half time: 0 - 4
Full time: 0 - 5
Shots: 10 - 15
Shots on target: 2 - 8
Corner Kicks: 7 - 9
Possession: 38% - 62%


Gaston Ramirez and Gianluca Caprari were booked for the home side, with Rafinha seeing yellow for the visitors.

Oh dear Sampdoria. Fresh from an away battering at the hands of Crotone, Marco Giampaolo's men capitulated once again, this time on home soil.

Inter were marginally on top in the opening stages here, but the first 25 minutes offered little sign of what was to come. Then in the space of five first half minutes, this game was all over.

The Nerazzurri rampage began in the 26th minute. Joao Cancelo's cross didn't look particularly dangerous, with the waiting Ivan Perisic quite a distance from goal. The Croatian produced a fabulous header into the top corner though to leave Emiliano Viviano floundering. 0-1.

Four minutes later it was two. A spot of shirt pulling from Edgar Barreto on Rafinha resulting in a converted spot kick from Mauro Icardi. There would be more to come from Icardi.

Just one minute later the Argentine produced a lovely piece of skill in the box before backheeling home past the hapless Viviano.

Viviano very nearly conceded a second back-heeled goal before half time. The keeper did manage to get his hand to Rafinha's effort but could only palm the ball out. And there was Icardi, ready and waiting to slot home for a first half hat-trick on the stroke of half time. 0-4 at the interval.

Everything was going right for Icardi today and when in the 51st minute he scuffed his volley into the ground, the ball looped up and over the head of poor old Viviano who surely couldn't wait for this match to end. No further pain for Sampdoria with Inter settling on the five goals.

A big win for Inter, pushing them above Lazio and into the fourth Champions League spot. Sampdoria remain seventh.