AC Milan’s title hopes dealt a blow after draw against Sampdoria

Jens Petter Hauge rescues point for Milan three minutes from time

AC Milan's Jens Petter Hauge, right, celebrates with his teammate Theo Hernandez after he scored his side's first goal during the Serie A match against Sampdoria at the San Siro Stadium on Saturday, April 3, 2021. AP

Jens Petter Hauge of AC Milan scores their team's first goal against Sampdoria. Getty

Theo Hernandez of AC Milan battles for possession with Bartosz Bereszynski of Sampdoria. getty

Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan battles for possession with Lorenzo Tonelli of Sampdoria. Getty

Sampdoria's Fabio Quagliarella celebrates with his teammate Mikkel Damsgaard after scoring goal against AC Milan. EPA

Sampdoria's head coach Claudio Ranieri at the San Siro Stadium. AP

Sampdoria's goalkeeper Emil Audero, left, saves against AC Milan's Ante Rebic. AP

AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic reacts at the San Siro Stadium. AP

AC Milan’s faltering title hopes diminished further on Saturday as they drew 1-1 at home to 10-man Sampdoria.

Jens Petter Hauge rescued a point for Milan three minutes from time and the Rossoneri almost snatched all three points but Franck Kessie’s effort came off the post.

Fabio Quagliarella had scored in the 57th minute following a horrendous Milan error but Sampdoria midfielder Adrien Silva was sent off two minutes later.

Sampdoria started aggressively in Milan and Gianluigi Donnarumma was forced into several good saves.

He could do nothing early in the second half after an error from teammate Theo Hernandez, whose square pass was intercepted by Quagliarella. And the veteran forward took one touch before lobbing the ball over Donnarumma from distance.

Sampdoria's good work was undone by an error by one of their own moments later. Silva was already on a yellow card and he went lunging into Samu Castillejo, so was promptly booked again and sent off.

Milan struggled to carve out genuine goalscoring opportunities but the equaliser eventually came when Hauge controlled a pass from Kessie before curling into the bottom right corner.

Kessie struck the left post in stoppage time following a Zlatan Ibrahimovic through ball.

Milan have not won on their own ground since beating bottom side Crotone on February 7, a run of six games in all competitions that marks their worst home form since December 2013.

A point does little for the Rossoneri’s fading Serie A title hopes, as it left the second-placed side five points behind leaders Inter, having played two more games. Sampdoria remained 10th with 36 points.