Genoa 1 : 0 Palermo - Flores keeps Genoa hopes alive

A goal 13 minutes from time from Antonio Floro Flores gave Genoa victory over Palermo and boosted their slim hopes of playing in Europe next season.

Floro Flores struck towards the end of a game which had looked to be heading for a stalemate.

The win lifts Genoa to within two points of Palermo, who have lost both of their matches under their new coach Serse Cosmi.

Genoa signalled their intentions with just 30 seconds on the clock when Rodrigo Palacio broke into the penalty area, but Ezequiel Munoz recovered his ground to block the Argentinian's shot.

Palacio was at the heart of the action again in the 12th minute when, one-on-one with Salvatore Sirigu, he failed to beat the Palermo goalkeeper.

Genoa continued to create all of the chances with Floro Flores heading just wide from a corner just before the break.

Palermo's first chance of the game came three minutes into the second half when Abel Hernandez shot wide from 20 yards.

In the 73rd minute, Floro Flores' cross almost sneaked inside the far post with Sirigu scurrying across his goal in a panic.

Genoa sub Rafinha cut in from the right three minutes later and Cesare Bovo almost put the Brazilian's cross into his own goal.

Matteo Darmian went even closer to scoring an own goal from the subsequent corner when he headed the ball against his own crossbar.

Palermo failed to clear their lines with the ball returned into the area, where it was touched by Marco Rossi to Palacio, who squared it to Floro Flores to score with a simple tap-in as the Palermo defence waited in vain for an offside flag.

Five minutes later, Palermo substitute Mauricio Pinilla should have brought the Rosaneri level, but he lifted his shot over the bar from 15 yards with only Eduardo to beat.

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