Caleb Ekuban struck in the 84th minute to hand Genoa a 2-1 win over Sassuolo. The victory opens a nine-point cushion above the drop zone. Relegation fears are fading fast at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Genoa needed a win. They got one, in the most Genoa way possible.
Sassuolo threatened early. Andrea Pinamonti looped a header just over the bar. Domenico Berardi forced a sharp stop from Justin Bijlow. The hosts looked shaky. Then they woke up.
Vitinha rattled Genoa into rhythm. He forced a save, then fired just wide from the corner. Momentum swung quickly. Genoa punished Sassuolo in the 18th minute.
A short corner found Ruslan Malinovskyi in space. He took his time and curled a stunning strike inside the near post from 25 yards. It was his sixth Serie A goal of the season, and a remarkable moment. Five minutes earlier, Malinovskyi had picked up his tenth yellow card of the campaign, a joint league high. He had also been booked and scored in the reverse fixture back in November.
The half produced 20 shots total. Bijlow denied Berardi again with a near-post stop just before the half-hour. Then the tunnel erupted at the whistle. Sassuolo captain Berardi and Genoa’s Mikael Ellertsson were both sent off after a brawl broke out.
Sassuolo had plenty of reasons to believe in the second half. Only AC Milan had earned more points from losing positions this season. Genoa, meanwhile, had thrown away 20 points from winning situations. History was not on their side.
Twelve minutes after the break, Sassuolo levelled. Bijlow parried a header from Tarik Muharemović. Ismaël Koné reacted fastest and tapped home his sixth Serie A goal of the term. All square.
The game tightened. Chances dried up. Then, 14 minutes from time, Arijanet Muric produced one of the saves of the season, stopping Ekuban’s bobbling shot with his face.
But Genoa kept pushing. Junior Messias drove into the box with six minutes left and pulled the ball back. Ekuban was there. He slotted home his fourth Serie A goal of the season at close range. Ferraris erupted.
It was the fourth time in a row Genoa have beaten Sassuolo 2-1. The Rossoblú have now won five of their last seven home matches. Sassuolo, by contrast, have taken just two wins from 10 away games this term.
Genoa are not safe yet. But right now, they look like a team that believes.
