Genoa found breathing room on the Ligurian coast with a 2-1 home win over Fiorentina in Serie A’s sixth round, surviving a late own goal by Mexico defender Johan Vásquez to secure three valuable points.
The hosts had built a commanding lead inside the opening quarter-hour and, although Vásquez’s misfortune gave Fiorentina a route back into the match, Genoa held their nerve through the closing stages.
Quick facts
- Genoa beat Fiorentina 2-1 at home in Serie A round six.
- Milutin Osmajic scored after seven minutes.
- Junior Messias made it 2-0 seven minutes later.
- Johan Vásquez turned Álex Jiménez’s low delivery into his own net around the 72nd minute.
- The result moved Genoa into 17th place, away from the relegation positions.
Fiorentina were caught cold at the start. Osmajic struck in the seventh minute against a visiting back line that had not settled, and Messias doubled the advantage in the 14th minute.
That fast start allowed Genoa to dictate much of the contest. Fiorentina struggled to establish sustained pressure, while the home side managed their two-goal cushion with greater calm.
The game changed when Álex Jiménez advanced down the right in the second half and drove a low ball across the six-yard area. Vásquez attempted to intervene, but his touch redirected the ball inside the near post.
Goalkeeper Justin Bijlow had moved toward his right to cut out the cross and could not recover in time as the ball crossed the line. The own goal reduced the deficit to one and gave Fiorentina renewed encouragement.
Genoa nevertheless resisted the late push. Fiorentina could not turn their improved momentum into a steady flow of clear chances, leaving the Genoese side to protect the 2-1 result and take a significant step clear of the bottom end of the table.
