Ibrahimovic couldn't score against Sampdoria
Robinho had put Milan ahead shortly before halftime, but Pazzini earned his team a point by slotting past goalkeeper Christian Abbiati in the 59th after Daniele Gasteldello headed down a corner.
Milan has 30 points to sit four points ahead of Lazio ahead of its game against Catania on Sunday.
“We had a great game,” Pazzini said. “We wanted to show what we could do. We were desperate to show our desire to win, show our ability and prove that we can compete with the big teams.
“It will help our morale and we have to keep this form going till next week.”
Robinho forced Sampdoria goalkeeper Gianluca Curci into a sharp save in the 23rd when he curled in a shot that Curci pushed for a corner. Ignazio Abate then tackled Pazzini just as the striker was about to shoot after he had pounced on an error by Alessandro Nesta.
Curci stopped a low shot from Clarence Seedorf after the Dutchman had found the space to shoot from outside the area.
Milan scored in the 42nd, when Robinho slipped the ball into Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s path and then raced into the area, where he volleyed the Swede’s cross past Curci. Both sides maintained the fierce pace in the second half, though they struggled to create chances.
“I think that it was one of the best games of our season, in terms of interplay and defensive organization,” Milan coach Massimo Allegri said. “We got things wrong at the corner when Sampdoria scored, but overall I’m happy with our display.”
After Pazzini equalized, his strike partner Nicola Pozzi went close with a header that was pushed over bar by Abbiati.
Curci again denied Seedorf in the 76th. Massimo Ambrosini slipped the ball in to Seedorf behind the Sampdoria defense, but Curci got down low to stop the shot.
In injury time, Robinho shot across the face of goal, but Curci again denied Milan a second.
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