Roma slumps to 4-3 loss to Genoa in Serie A

Posted Monday, February 21, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

MILAN (AP)—Roma’s disappointing week worsened on Sunday when it threw away a three-goal lead to lose 4-3 to Genoa.

Philippe Mexes, Nicolas Burdisso and Francesco Totti put Roma ahead, but Rodrigo Palacio and Alberto Paloschi scored a brace apiece to secure a remarkable comeback victory.

Serie A leader AC Milan needed a late goal from Alexandre Pato to return to winning ways with a 2-1 victory away to Chievo Verona.

Milan appeared to be suffering from its midweek Champions League loss to Tottenham, but the young Brazilian came off the bench and scored his 10th goal of the season after Gelson Fernandes had canceled out Robinho’s opener.

Milan’s win will provide some succor to beleaguered Italian Prime Minister and Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi in a week in which he celebrated 25 years at the club’s helm.

“We are all delighted with what we did today and that we could give Mr Berlusconi this present,” Milan coach Massimo Allegri said. “It wasn’t easy out there, but the team played as well as it could.”

Also, Gianluigi Buffon was sent off as Juventus lost 2-0 to Lecce, while Lazio beat Bari 1-0 at home.

Other results were; Fiorentina 0, Sampdoria 0; Parma 2, Cesena 2; Udinese 0, Brescia 0.

On Saturday four Roma fans were arrested for throwing paper and smoke bombs outside the team’s training center in response to consecutive losses to Inter Milan, Napoli and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Coach Claudio Ranieri said he would not walk away, but he is likely to come under further pressure to resign following this latest defeat.

“We need some time to reflect and decide what has gone wrong with the team,” club director Giampaolo Montali said. “We need to take a couple of days to reflect on what happened and make a decision in the cold light of day.”

Totti set up Roma’s first two goals with a corner and freekick and then scored the third himself from Marco Borriello’s squared pass.

Genoa immediately hit back though when Palacio pounced on a loose ball and Paloschi scored a second for the home side in the 68th. Palacio was then left free in the box to head over Julio Sergio for the equalizer.

With 11 minutes to go Totti missed a chance to put Roma back in the lead, when he shot straight at Domenico Criscito and Paloschi punished his profligacy by volleying in Palacio’s cross for the winner.

In Verona Chievo was furious with the referee for allowing Robinho’s goal, claiming he had controlled it with his arm. Antonio Cassano crossed, Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed back to the Brazilian and he turned and poked the ball past three defenders.

Gelson Fernandes brought Chievo level when he was left unmarked at the far post to head home Kevin Constant’s cross.

Pato hit the winner in the 82nd. He brushed off two Chievo defenders to shoot past Sorrentino at the near post.

“Unfortunately we’ve missed him a lot this season through injury,” Allegri said. “He’s starting to get back to form and there will always be a place for him in this team, because he is an excellent player.”

Two minutes later Bostjan Cesar was sent off, leaving Milan to comfortably close out the match.

For Juventus Buffon was sent off in the 12th. He raced out of the area to close down David Di Michele, but as the striker tried to chip him, Buffon swatted the ball away.

Matters worsened for Juventus when Djamel Mesbah opened the scoring. Gianni Munari chipped over the defense, Mesbah controlled the ball on his chest and slipped it under Buffon’s replacement Marco Storari.

Three minutes into the second half Lecce scored its second. Di Michele headed a cross to the far post and Andrea Bertolacci ran in to sweep the ball past Storari for his first goal in Serie A.

Lecce then had a man sent off when Giuseppe Vives received a second yellow card after he bundled over Giorgio Chiellini.

“It was a great team win and we played fantastically,” Bertolacci said. “We are all desperate to get away from the relegation zone as soon as possible.

“Buffon’s red card changed the game, but we showed from the first minute that we were determined to win.”