Serie A | Genoa 2-1 Sassuolo: De Rossi wins World Cup winners’ duel

Serie A | Genoa 2-1 Sassuolo: De Rossi wins World Cup winners’ duel

Caleb Ekuban’s late goal allowed Genoa to beat Sassuolo 2-1 at the Stadio Ferraris in a match between 2006 Italy World Cup winner Daniele De Rossi and Fabio Grosso.

Genoa secured a crucial win in the race for survival on Sunday, beating Sassuolo 2-1 at home.

The visitors had the first goal-scoring opportunity with Andrea Pianamonti sending his header inches over the crossbar. Genoa reacted with a shot from Vitinha a few minutes later, seeing Sassuolo goalkeeper Arijanet Muric perform a save to his left.

GENOA, ITALY – APRIL 12: Ruslan Malinovskyi of Genoa (left) celebrates with his team-mate Lorenzo Colombo after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and US Sassuolo Calcio at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on April 12, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)

Ruslan Malinovskyi broke the deadlock at minute 18 with a stunning goal from distance that left Muric completely still as he watched the ball fly into the top corner.

Both sides were reduced to ten men during the halftime break, as Mikael Ellertsson and Domenico Berardi were sent off following a physical clash inside the tunnel.

The game’s flow inevitably changed in the second half, with Sassuolo looking more dangerous than the home side despite Berardi’s sending off.

Ismaël Koné equalised from a set-piece corner routine as Tarik Muharemovic won an aerial challenge in the box and the Canada international reacted quickest, poking home the rebound.

GENOA, ITALY – APRIL 12: Ismael Koné of Sassuolo (2nd from left) celebrates with his team-mates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and US Sassuolo Calcio at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on April 12, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)

De Rossi also made attacking substitutions, and his decisions paid off.

Messias, who had come off the bench just minutes earlier, dribbled past a Sassuolo defender on the edge of the box, played a sharp one-two with Sabelli and managed to slip a pass through with the tip of his foot, beating the slow-reacting Muric to set up Ekuban, who scored into an empty net.

Sassuolo were already safe before the game with 42 points, but this latest win allows Genoa to make a big leap in the standings, moving to 13th with 36 points, nine above the drop zone with six games remaining.

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