Serie A | Monza 1-0 Genoa: Dany Mota revival

Dany Mota Carvalho came off the bench to start and finish a sweeping team move, giving Monza their first home win since October, but Genoa rue missed opportunities.

Only three points separated these sides going into the game, as the hosts had hit problems with just two points from the last three rounds, still fuming from Monday’s last-gasp defeat to Juventus. Samuele Vignato, Pablo Mari, Armando Izzo and Gianluca Caprari were on the treatment table, but Luca Caldirola also pulled out in the warm-up, replaced by Pedro Pereira in a four-man defence. Ruslan Malinovskyi was suspended and Kevin Strootman injured for Genoa, but Albert Gudmundsson was a welcome return.

Valentin Carboni had his first Serie A start and immediately whipped a cross just beyond Matteo Pessina’s diving header at the back post.

Lorenzo Colombo’s first touch let him down on a through ball that would’ve sent him clear on goal, then Andrea Colpani’s free kick was deflected off the wall.

Monza had the ball in the net after 36 minutes with Patrick Ciurria, but Colombo was already offside on the pull-back before Rade Dragusin’s clearance fell to the winger from 14 yards.

Genoa had a big chance after the restart, as only a crucial Matteo Pessina header managed to prevent Milan Badelj nodding in from point-blank range at the far post.

Pessina went for goal himself, firing straight at the ‘keeper when slipping, but Mateo Retegui wasted an incredible opportunity when trying to redirect a wayward Messias strike, instead ballooning it over from six yards.

Messias went off with a calf problem and Monza broke the deadlock in the final minutes. Dany Mota Carvalho started the move in his own half, spread it to Colpani and then Pedro Pereira rolled across from the right for Carvalho to sweep in from 12 yards. This allowed the striker to end his 16-game goal drought, which lasted since May.

Genoa should’ve equalised moments later, Gudmundsson’s through ball sending Rade Dragusin through, but the defender could only hit the side-netting around the on-rushing goalkeeper.

Monza 1-0 Genoa

Dany Mota Carvalho 83 (M)