Genoa made Mikael Ellertsson’s first-half finish stand up against Venezia at the Luigi Ferraris, taking a 1-0 victory in Sunday’s Serie A eighth-round meeting on 25 October 2026. It was a narrow afternoon, but one in which the home side found the decisive moment and then resisted a prolonged Venezia push after the interval.
Ellertsson settled the match in the 25th minute. Stephan El Shaarawy supplied the pass and the Genoa midfielder struck left-footed from outside the penalty area, sending the ball into the top-right corner. It was the cleanest moment of a first half in which both teams had threatened without finding much room.
Ellertsson provides the difference
Genoa had begun with intent. Leo Østigård saw a sixth-minute header saved after Mario Mitaj’s delivery, while Junior Messias later dragged an effort narrowly wide following Samuel Wiafe’s pass. Mitaj also had a long-range attempt blocked.
Venezia had their own early opening when John Yeboah was played in by Akor Adams in the 24th minute, but his shot from the middle of the box was saved low. A minute later, Ellertsson punished the visitors with the goal that shaped the rest of the contest.
Genoa could have doubled the lead before the break through Messias, who missed the target from inside the area after El Shaarawy led a counter-attack. Venezia finished the opening period with a sequence of corners, and Antoine Hainaut had a late effort blocked, but the hosts went into half-time ahead.
Venezia press for an equaliser
The second half became increasingly demanding for Genoa. Venezia created pressure from set pieces and wide deliveries, with Hainaut heading wide soon after the restart from Ridgeciano Haps’ cross. Redouane Halhal then tested Justin Bijlow with a header, while Kike Pérez forced a save with a left-footed attempt from distance.
Adams was twice denied from the right side of the area, first after Hainaut’s assist and again in added time. Venezia also saw Toma Basic have two shots blocked, while Juan Jesus, Simon Sohm and Matías Moreno were unable to convert opportunities created from corners and crosses.
The visitors introduced Matteo Dagasso and Pasquale Mazzocchi in the 71st minute, with Albion Rrahmani following eight minutes later and Lion Lauberbach arriving in the 87th. Dagasso was involved repeatedly as Venezia sought a way through, setting up Yeboah and Moreno during a sustained spell of pressure. Kike Pérez went closest late on when his left-footed shot from outside the box skimmed past the left angle.
Lauberbach had Venezia’s final chance in the sixth minute of stoppage time, but his header from Mazzocchi’s cross went wide. The visitors had also won consecutive corners at the start of added time, yet Genoa held firm.
Genoa manage the closing stages
Genoa refreshed their side during the second half, bringing on Lorenzo Colombo and Morten Frendrup in the 62nd minute, before Alessandro Marcandalli replaced Sebastian Otoa eight minutes later. David Puczka came on for Mitaj in the 81st minute, while Alex Amorim replaced the injured Wiafe.
Colombo nearly added a second goal in the 66th minute when Milutin Osmajic set him up inside the area, only for his left-footed attempt to be saved. Amorim later had a low long-range effort stopped as Genoa looked for the finish that would have removed the late tension.
Otoa received the game’s only yellow card in the 55th minute for a dangerous challenge on Yeboah. Genoa also had a brief concern when Hamed Traoré required treatment early in the second half, but he resumed play.
For Genoa, the result was built on Ellertsson’s precision and a patient defensive response to Venezia’s late territorial pressure. Venezia left Genoa without a goal despite creating a number of second-half situations, their final header from Lauberbach reflecting an afternoon in which the equaliser remained just beyond reach.
