Gilardino strike sinks Parma

Genoa picked up their second win in four games since Gian Piero Gasperini's return thanks to a 1-0 victory over Parma.

Genoa picked up their second win in four games since coach Gian Piero Gasperini returned to the club thanks to a solitary goal from Alberto Gilardino against Parma at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. Gilardino also missed a penalty in the first half while the visitors had a goal disallowed in a scrappy encounter before the former Parma forward decided the game in the 57th minute. The win lifts Genoa to within a point of their opponents and five clear of the relegation zone. Genoa, who saw former coach Gasperini brought back to replace Fabio Liverani a month ago, had an immediate chance to go in front when Yoha Benalouane was adjudged to have committed a foul inside the penalty area, but Gilardino's spot-kick was too close to Antonio Mirante with justice arguably done as the Parma goalkeeper made the save. Former Genoa forward Raffaele Palladino exchanged passes with Marco Parolo, but sent his shot wide of the far post with Parma's first chance of the game before Parolo missed an even better opportunity from Antonio Cassano's pass, poking the ball wide with only Mattia Perin to beat. Sime Vrsaljko had to leave the field for the hosts with a knee injury, Ricardo Centurion taking his place midway through the first half, but little changed as the game lacked a spark. Gilardino provided it in the 57th minute to put Genoa in front with a header from Davide Biondini's cross, beating Mirante inside his near post. Parma responded immediately only to see Djamel Mesbah's goal ruled out for a borderline offside decision. The visitors tried to find a way back into the game while the Rossoblu desperately defended their goal in any which way they could. Gilardino could have wrapped up the win with five minutes left when he was the only player, apart from Mirante, in the Parma half of the field, but his last touch under pressure from a recovering defender took the ball too close to the Parma goalkeeper, and the chance was wasted. It did not prove to be a costly miss, though, as Genoa held on to victory to edge away from the relegation zone.