Football: Sampdoria stun Milan, Inter beat Pescara

ROME: Promoted Sampdoria consigned AC Milan to a shock 1-0 defeat at San Siro with Andrea Costa scoring the winner in the second-half to give Milan the worst possible start after a traumatic close season. Milan, Serie A runners-up last term, had the spine ripped out of their squad over the summer, with superstars Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sold to Paris Saint-Germain and a glut of long-serving players moving on. Sampdoria, who start the new campaign with a one-point deduction over the Calcioscommesse betting scandal, were able to celebrate their first goal at San Siro since the 2007-08 season.  Elsewhere, Chievo beat Bologna 2-0 and Genoa saw off visitors Cagliari by the same scoreline.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2012.