Genoa 3 : 0 Brescia - Genoa batter Brescia

Genoa returned to winning ways at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris to do their city rivals Sampdoria a favour by defeating relegation-threatened Brescia 3-0.

After an even first half in which Genoa did not seem to want to score, considering the impact it could have on Samp, they took their guests apart in the second 45 minutes with goals from Rafinha, Luca Antonelli and an own goal from Gaetano Berardi seeing them win comfortably.

Brescia therefore remain in the bottom three, four points adrift of safety while Genoa are safe in mid-table with 42 points.

However, it was the visitors who had the better of the first half although they could not convert their chances.

Andrea Caracciolo missed their first chance when he hit the bar in the fifth minute.

Antonio Floro Flores then missed two gilt-edged chances, first volleying over the bar in the 28th minute and then knocking a header from Dario Dainelli over from close range.

The home side went ahead in the second half when one of many counter-attacks ended with a goal.

Rodrigo Palacio sent in a cross from the right and Rafinha could not make any mistake with his header from just outside the six-yard box.

They were gifted their second goal by Berardi, who diverted Palacio's cross into his own goal while trying to make a clearance in the 70th minute.

He had the chance to make amends for his error three minutes later, but he somehow managed to shoot over an open goal.

Brescia rallied late on, looking for a route back into the game, but this left gaps open at the back and Genoa took advantage to kill the game off in stoppage time.

Palacio sent Antonelli clear and he beat Michele Arcari to see off the Rondinelle and do Sampdoria a small favour.