AC Milan was held to a 1-1 tie with Sampdoria
in the Serie A on Saturday for its third consecutive draw.
Striker Emiliano Bonazzoli opened the scoring for Sampdoria in
the 69th minute, heading in a cross from defender Mirko di Pieri on
the left flank.
Left back Kakha Kaladze tied it in the 84th from close range.
``We're OK, but we're reaping less than we sow,'' Milan forward
Filippo Inzaghi said. ``If we continue to play with this desire and
commitment, things will start working again.''
Milan has four points, having begun the season with an
eight-point penalty for its role in Italy's match-fixing scandal.
Sampdoria has seven points.
Also Saturday, Siena beat nine-man Messina 3-1.
At the Luigi Ferraris stadium, Milan was denied two penalties.
Inzaghi, who was lively throughout, looked to have been fouled by
Sampdoria goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi in the 38th minute, and
Bonazzoli handled the ball in the area in the 90th.
Alberto Gilardino, who has yet to score this season, was replaced
by Brazilian Ricardo Oliveira in the 65th.
``He'll get back to scoring,'' Inzaghi said of Gilardino. ``It's
just a matter of time and confidence.''
Kaladze's goal, seven minutes after he came on as a replacement
for defender Marek Jankulovski, was Milan's first in three games,
after scoreless draws against Siena and Livorno.
In Siena, striker Mario Frick headed a 90th-minute winner for his
fourth goal of the season on a cross from defender Daniele
Gastaldello.
Midfielder Abdulley Konko scored the host's first goal in the
45th and Francesco Cozza added the third in the second minute of
injury time.
Messina's Christian Rigano scored from the penalty spot in the
20th minute after being fouled by defender Cristiano Molinaro.
Messina had midfielders Nicolas Cordova and Carmine Coppola sent
off _ Cordova in the 45th for arguing with the referee and Coppola
in the 69th for a second yellow card.
``If you argue with the referee, you are going to come off
badly,'' Messina coach Bruno Giordano said. ``We accept the sendings
off, but it spoiled the game.''
Siena defender Vincent Candela was also sent off in the 88th
minute.
Siena is fourth in the Serie A with 11 points. Messina, which
hasn't won in 11 away games since January, is fifth with eight
points.
On Sunday, Serie A leader AS Roma travels to Reggina.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
