Serie A: Genoa Move Level with Torino After Hard-Fought 2-1 Win Over Lecce

Genoa secured a 2-1 victory over Lecce in Serie A, thanks to a pair of goals from the combination of Ruslan Malinovskyi and Fabio Miretti, moving them level on points with Torino in the table.

Patrick Vieira's Genoa returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Lecce in Serie A on Friday evening. The decisive factor in the match was the potent combination of Fabio Miretti and Ruslan Malinovskyi in the first half, which ultimately proved too much for Lecce's Nikola Krstovic to overcome.

Genoa manager Patrick Vieira made five changes to his starting lineup, including the return of Ruslan Malinovskyi, who had been sidelined for six months with a broken fibula. Malinovskyi's inclusion paid immediate dividends, as he slotted seamlessly back into the team. In contrast, Lecce manager Marco Baroni opted to stick with the same lineup that had suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Milan the previous week.

The match got off to a flying start for Genoa, with Ruslan Malinovskyi making an instant impact. Just 15 minutes in, Malinovskyi delivered a beautifully clipped ball over the top of the Lecce defense, finding Fabio Miretti in the area. Miretti responded with an acrobatic and emphatic finish, slamming the ball past Wladimiro Falcone and into the roof of the net to give Genoa a 1-0 lead.

Two goals from Miretti and two assists from Malinovskyi secure the three points for Genoa! ✌️👊#GenoaLecce #KeepRacismOut pic.twitter.com/EMcCsmzCmR

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 14, 2025

The dynamic duo of Ruslan Malinovskyi and Fabio Miretti combined again to devastating effect, scoring Genoa's second goal just before half-time. Malinovskyi showcased his skill and vision, allowing Morten Frendrup's pass to run across his body before taking the ball out to the right channel. From there, he squeezed an incisive pass past several Lecce defenders, finding Miretti in the middle. Miretti held up the ball before swivelling and firing a precise shot into the far corner, doubling Genoa's lead to 2-0.

Lecce managed to halve the deficit midway through the second half, courtesy of a penalty kick. The spot kick was awarded after a lengthy VAR review, which determined that Allan Matturro had blocked Danilo Veiga's shot with his hand. Top goalscorer Nikola Krstovic stepped up to take the penalty and dispatched it down the left, despite having missed three of his last four spot kicks. This goal marked Krstovic's tenth in Serie A this season, a notable milestone for the Lecce striker.

One Panini Player of the Match Award, two goals and three points. Pretty good night for Fabio Miretti 🤷‍♂️🏆#GenoaLecce pic.twitter.com/UZ6Faj4458

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 14, 2025

The outcome of Friday's match left Genoa in 12th place, but they are now level on points with Torino, who sit above them in the table. Torino will host Empoli on Saturday evening, providing an opportunity for them to create some distance between themselves and Genoa. Meanwhile, Lecce find themselves hovering just three points above the relegation zone in 16th place. Depending on the results of other matches, Lecce could potentially drop into the relegation zone by the end of the weekend.