Genoa survives again, Lecce relegated on final day of Serie A season

Genoa's 3-0 win over Hellas Verona ensured it remained in the Serie A, while Lecce was relegated after losing 4-3 to Parma.

03 August, 2020 08:57 IST

Genoa players celebrate during their 3-0 win over Hellas Verona on the final day of the Serie A season. | Photo Credit: AP Photo

Three players were sent off as Genoa, Italy's oldest professional club, beat Hellas Verona 3-0 to guarantee its Serie A survival on Sunday while Lecce became the final team to be relegated after losing 4-3 at home to Parma.

Genoa, coached by Davide Nicola, who had pulled off one of Serie A's great escapes with Crotone three years ago, finished 17th in the 20-team table with 39 points after ensuring its survival on the last day of the season for the second year running.

Lecce, which had the worst defence in the league with 85 goals conceded in 38 matches, was relegated for the ninth time since its Serie A debut in 1985-86. It will join Brescia, which like Lecce was promoted last season, and SPAL in Serie B.

Lecce needed to win and hope that Verona could take at least a point at Genoa but its hopes were effectively over after half an hour.

Antonio Sanabria put Genoa in front with a diving header in the 13th minute and the Paraguayan struck again 12 minutes later after being sent clear by Goran Pandev's pass. Cristian Romero headed the third one minute before the break.

Fuori 90' | Il racconto dei festeggiamenti al termine di #GenoaVerona https://t.co/gAtKuKl2Mt pic.twitter.com/bC79c7tRdQ
— Genoa CFC (@GenoaCFC) August 2, 2020

Although the game was effectively settled, tempers flared in the second half. Romero was sent off for a second bookable offence just after the hour while Genoa's Francesco Cassata and Verona's Sofyan Amrabat followed for scuffling by the corner flag in the last minute.

Meanwhile, Lecce's defensive failings were again evident as it fell 2-0 behind against Parma. The side got off to a terrible start when Fabio Lucioni put through his own goal after eleven minutes, the ball rebounding off him and into the net after Hernani's shot hit the post.

Gianluca Caprari then doubled Parma's lead in the 24th minute from a breakaway which began with a Lecce corner.

Lecce gallantly fought back and levelled with headed goals by Antonin Barak and Biagio Meccariello in five minutes before halftime.

However, second-half goals from Andreas Cornelius and Roberto Inglese restored Parma's two-goal lead before Gianluca Lapadula pulled another back for Lecce.

In other matches, Fiorentina completed its campaign with a 3-1 win at SPAL while Udinese won 1-0 at Sassuolo and Torino held Bologna 1-1.