Frosinone left it incredibly late to snatch victory with Ilario Monterisi after Genoa had equalised thanks to a stunning Ruslan Malinovskyi screamer.
Both teams were promoted from Serie B over the summer and were out of the drop zone. Albert Gudmundsson joined Mateo Retegui, Caleb Ekuban and Mattia Bani on the absentee list, so the Grifone looked to Ruslan Malinovskyi and George Puscas upfront. The Canarini missed Luca Mazzitelli, Sergio Kalaj and Abdou Harroui.
Genoa really should’ve scored in the opening 90 seconds after Frosinone gave it away cheaply playing out from the back, so Stefano Sabelli rolled across for Puscas, who hesitated and allowed Caleb Okoli to throw himself in its path from four yards, slowing it down enough for Stefano Turati to block on the line.
Morten Frendrup also failed to make the most of a Sabelli cross by volleying wide, but Frosinone took the lead with a howler from goalkeeper Josep Martinez. His hands were bent back by a sudden Matias Soule scorcher from outside the box, pushing it into the net rather than around the near post.
There was precious little that Turati could do about the Genoa equaliser, because former Atalanta star Malinovskyi showed that remarkable left foot with a stunning goal. The Ukraine international hit it first time from a good 30 metres out and the wicked bend took it right into the top corner.
However, Genoa also lost Kevin Strootman to injury just before half-time. Martinez smothered the weak Arijon Ibrahimovic angled drive, then Morten Thorsby horribly wasted a chance by scuffing wide from 12 yards when he should’ve left it for Malinovskyi behind him.
Malinovskyi almost completed a brace when his set play smacked against the frame of the goal from a tricky angle, while Riccardo Marchizza stung Martinez’s gloves, pulling a thigh muscle in the process.
There was controversy on 85 minutes when there appeared to be a Rade Dragusin handling offence, but VAR showed it was just outside the penalty area.
Frosinone have become accustomed to last-gasp drama, both positive and negative, and they did it again with a stoppage-time goal.
Soule send Brescianini to the by-line, where he pulled back for Ilario Monterisi to steer in from eight yards off the inside of the boot.
Frosinone 2-1 Genoa
Soule 34 (F), Malinovskyi 38 (G), Monterisi 94 (F)
Player statistic
6' | Alessandro Vogliacco | |||
29' | Stefano Sabelli | |||
Matìas Soulé (Assist: Anthony Oyono) |
34' | |||
38' | Ruslan Malinovskyi (Assist: Morten Frendrup) |
Anthony Oyono | 58' | |||
Reinier | 66' | |||
Ilario Monterisi (Assist: Marco Brescianini) |
90+4' | |||
90' | Morten Frendrup |