Sampdoria-Milan share spoils after thriller

Milan had a very aggressive start and took the lead with El Shaarawy, who curled a sensational effort into the far corner from the outside edge of the box.

Diego Lopez was at full stretch to fingertip an Eder angled drive round the post, then Manolo Gabbiadini went round the ‘keeper and Daniele Bonera prevented him firing into an open goal.

It was end to end stuff and Sergio Romero beat away a Giacomo Bonaventura snapshot, while Diego Lopez smothered a fierce Gabbiadini free kick and Lorenzo De Silvestri charged down a Jeremy Menez finish.

De Silvestri turned a free header over the bar from Gabbiadini’s corner and deep into stoppages Sampdoria got their deserved equaliser. Gabbiadini flicked in a cross from the left and Stefano Okaka got in front of Bonera at full stretch to volley in from six yards.

Straight after the restart, Sampdoria turned the game around completely. Pedro Obiang rose above the crowd on a corner, his free header thumping the upright and bouncing into the path of Eder for a tap-in.

Milan were awarded a penalty, as Bonaventura was ready to tap in when Djamel Mesbah mistimed his sliding intervention and moved the ball away with his arm. Menez sent spot-kick specialist Sergio Romero the wrong way to equalise with his first goal since September at Parma.

Fernando Torres had timid penalty appeals for a De Silvestri tug, then Eder had two consecutive nutmegs before he was brought down by Mattia De Sciglio. Menez ran into the box, but refused to pass with Torres and El Shaarawy in better positions, so was closed down by Obiang.

A series of strikes were charged down for El Shaarawy, Michael Essien and Bonaventura, then Torres went on the counter and set up Bonaventura’s angled drive to skim the back post.

Milan went down to 10 men for the final six minutes when already-booked Bonera obstructed Okaka just outside the box. It also means Bonera will be suspended for the Derby della Madonnina against Inter on November 23.

Samp pushed forward and Roberto Soriano stung Diego Lopez’s gloves with a powerful strike.

Elsewhere, Sassuolo drew 0-0 with Atalanta.

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