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Ronaldinho's double and a brilliant Pippo Inzaghi team effort doomed 10-man Sampdoria, but the Blucerchiati were furious with the referee.
It was time for the Rossoneri to find consistency, as five straight wins in all competition came crashing to a halt with the disappointing goalless draw away to bottom of the table Cagliari. Samp also had to provide answers, as they were without a single victory in Serie A all season and had scored just four goals.
Gennaro Gattuso joined Andrea Pirlo, Kakha Kaladze, Philippe Senderos and the suspended Gianluca Zambrotta in the stands, while Kaka was rested after international duty, but Alessandro Nesta was for the first time ready for the bench. The Blucerchiati missed Daniele Dessena and Salvatore Accardi on a ban, but Mirko Pieri recovered in time.
Sampdoria won here 2-1 last season in their first victory at San Siro since 1997. Both sides had early chances with an Alexandre Pato volley charged down, Antonio Cassano stinging Christian Abbiati's palms at the near post and Bottinelli nodded wide.
Some smart Ronaldinho footwork was cut short by a Bottinelli bookable offence, then Marek Jankulovski exchanged passes with Dinho to burst into the box down the left and test Luca Castellazzi.
Gennaro Delvecchio's overhead kick skimmed the woodwork and Abbiati smothered a Cassano effort, but there was a wonderful move between Pato and Ronaldinho. Stefano Lucchini came sliding in for a decisive tackle on the youngster as he was pulling the trigger from nine yards.
Carlo Ancelotti needed some inspiration and introduced Kaka. Within 35 seconds he headed a Jankulovski cross inches wide of the upright.
On 54 minutes the referee pointed to the spot in a decision that infuriated the Sampdoria players. The defender clearly handled the ball to block a Jankulovski shot in the box, but it was very close and he was trying to turn round. Damato judged it to be voluntary and showed him a second yellow card, reducing Samp to 10 men as Ronaldinho stepped up to convert the penalty in off the inside of the near post.
Ronaldinho doubled the advantage with a marvellous team move. He combined brilliantly with Kaka down the left channel and finished it off with a delicate angled drive that slotted into the far corner like a snooker shot.
A cheeky Marco Borriello lob from 20 metres was not far off the target and a Ronaldinho free kick skimmed the bar. Massimo Ambrosini and Cassano fired over from distance.
Substitute Pippo Inzaghi put the icing on the cake in stoppages with another wonderful move. There were five first-touch passes between Emerson, Kaka, Ronaldinho and Ambrosini to send Inzaghi round the goalkeeper.
An audacious Ronaldinho free kick from 35 metres was palmed out of the top corner.
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