Lautaro & Dimarco Helps Serie A champions secure 1-1 draw against Sampdoria

Inter twice took the lead at Marassi, with a stunning Federico Dimarco free kick and Lautaro Martinez volley, but Sampdoria got back for a 2-2 draw, ending Simone Inzaghi’s perfect start to the season.

The Blucerchiati gave deadline day signing Ciccio Caputo his debut, with Manolo Gabbiadini, Ernesto Torregrossa, Nicola Murru and Albin Ekdal carrying injuries. Inter missed Alessandro Bastoni, so Federico Dimarco stepped into the back three, and Lautaro Martinez started despite returning from international duty in Argentina.

Morten Thorsby should’ve put Samp in front after four minutes, but turned a free header over from Tommaso Augello’s cross just five yards out.

However, Inter took the lead with a simply magnificent free kick from Dimarco, who smashed it into the far top corner with his left foot, simply unstoppable for Emil Audero. Samp would also protest there wasn’t much in the Omar Colley challenge on Lautaro Martinez that led to the free kick, though.

Milan Skriniar did just about enough to stop Caputo tapping in the Antonio Candreva cross, while Lautaro Martinez stung Audero’s gloves at the near post.

Samp got back on level terms in a chaotic goal, as a corner was knocked back and forth in the box until Maya Yoshida’s attempt took a decisive deflection off Edin Dzeko to completely wrong-foot Samir Handanovic.

Skriniar nodded Dimarco’s corner inches over the bar and Inter went into the break 2-1 win. Hakan Calhanoglu robbed Mikkel Damsgaard in midfield, sending Nicolò Barella surging down the right, whipping in a perfect cross for Lautaro Martinez’s cushioned volley.

Samp equalised within moments of the restart thanks to another excellent goal, a Bartosz Bereszynski cross finding Augello relatively unmarked for a sensational left-foot volley from nine yards.

It should’ve been 3-2 for Inter on 51 minutes, but Ivan Perisic misplaced the cross with Dzeko waiting for the easiest of tap-ins. Adrien Silva also rushed back to prevent Lautaro Martinez scoring one-on-one and Calhanoglu drilled wide relatively undisturbed, while Caputo horribly scuffed another good Bereszynski cross.

Tucu Correa came off the bench and immediately fired just over, but Danilo D’Ambrosio needed a desperate goal-line clearance to keep out Damsgaard’s finish from a tight angle, which had beaten Handanovic.

Inter’s tension rose even further in the final 10 minutes, as Stefano Sensi came on and picked up an injury with all five substitutions already completed. Arturo Vidal had to take one for the team in stoppages, hacking down Ernesto Torregrossa on the counter.