Genoa win at Lecce thanks to Messias

Genoa won 2-1 away at Lecce in a lower-table Serie A clash. It was their third straight win, and for the visitors the result is of great importance in their bid to move away from the relegation zone. Junior Messias both scored and provided an assist.

Lecce had lost four of their last five matches and were beaten 5-1 by Frosinone. Genoa came into the game having won three of their last four, including a 2-0 victory over Juventus. Mikael Ellertsson recovered from an ankle injury and started in the starting XI.

Milutin Osmajic opened the scoring with a low pass from Messias, who had delivered it from the right wing close to the line. Then Messias received a pass from Hamed Junior Traoré and, with his first touch, sent the ball past Wladimiro Falcone from a tight angle into the net.

Lecce's goal came from a free kick by Youssef Maleh. The ball struck Osmajic in the wall, changed direction, and the goalkeeper dived the wrong way. Nikola Stulic's goal in stoppage time of the first half was ruled out because he had used his arm.

El Shaarawy's shot that hit the post and Justin Bijlow's crucial saves shaped the decisive moments of the match. Lecce could not take advantage of the loose ball from Ngom's deflected shot.