Hellas Verona edge closer to drop after defeat against Genoa

Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2018 by PA

Genoa nudged Hellas Verona ever close to the relegation trapdoor by winning 3-1 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Hellas, who responded to Iuri Medeiros’ early strike with a penalty from Romulo only for Rossoblu substitutes Daniel Bessa and Goran Pandev to score at the death, remain six points from safety.

Genoa wasted no time heaping more unwelcome pressure on struggling Verona as Medeiros fired in an opening goal inside seven minutes, the Portuguese driving a precise left-footed shot beyond Nicolas.

Not long into the second half Gianluca Lapadula came close to extending Genoa’s lead when he waltzed into the box before dummying and striking at goal, only for Antonio Caracciolo to make a brave block.

The visitors were level in the 65th minute as, after Oscar Hiljemark used an arm to repel Alessio Cerci’s goalbound effort, Romulo stepped up to convert the resulting penalty.

Genoa regrouped, however, and with the final 10 minutes approaching Bessa tapped Darko Lazovic’s lay-off into the net.

Pandev rubbed salt in the wound with a stoppage-time third off the bench, the Macedonian applying the coup de grace with a deft chip over Nicolas.