September 10, (THEWILL) – Serie A defending champions AC Milan maintained their perfect start to the season by defeating Sampdoria 2-1 despite Rafael Leao’s dismissal early in the second half.
At the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Stefano Pioli’s charges resolutely dominated the first half and took the lead early on with Junior Messias’ first goal of the 2022/2023 campaign.
It was not Leao’s night at the office, as he was given a second caution for a high foot two minutes after the break, which gave Sampdoria the motivation to equalize through Filip Djuricic just before the hour mark.
But in the 67th minute, Olivier Giroud scored from the penalty spot after Gonzalo Villar handled the ball in the penalty area. That spot-kick was all Milan needed to avoid dropping points.
On Wednesday, in the UEFA Champions League, Milan will face Dinamo Zagreb while the next match for Sampdoria is away to Spezia in Serie A.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
