Match report
Genoa Defeats Sassuolo 2-1 in Serie A Thriller
Genoa
2–1
FT
Sassuolo
Apr 12, 2026
Genoa secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Sassuolo in a thrilling Serie A match. Despite trailing early, Genoa's R. Malinovskyi and C. Ekuban found the back of the net, while Sassuolo's Ismael Koné provided a moment of hope with a goal of his own. The turning point came when Sassuolo's Domenico Berardi was sent off in the second half, leaving Sassuolo to play a man down for over 30 minutes.
Key Facts
- • Final Score: Genoa 2–1 Sassuolo
- • Goals: Malinovskyi (18'), Ekuban (84') for Genoa; Koné (57') for Sassuolo
- • Red Card: Domenico Berardi (45+2')
- • Man of the Match: R. Malinovskyi (Genoa)
Lineups
Genoa
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Starting XI
- 16 Justin Bijlow (G)
- 27 Alessandro Marcandalli (D)
- 5 Leo Østigård (D)
- 22 Johan Vásquez (D)
- 20 Stefano Sabelli (M)
- 32 Morten Frendrup (M)
- 17 Ruslan Malinovskyi (M)
- 77 Mikael Ellertsson (M)
- 8 Tommaso Baldanzi (F)
- 9 Vitinha (F)
- 29 Lorenzo Colombo (F)
Substitutes
- 3 Aarón Martín
- 18 Caleb Ekuban
- 73 Patrizio Masini
- 10 Junior Messias
- 21 Jeff Ekhator
- 80 Jacopo Grossi
- 13 Nils Zätterström
- 99 Wedtoin Latif Ouedraogo
- 34 Sebastian Otoa
- 1 Nicola Leali
- 40 Lukas Klisys
- 4 Alexsandro Amorim
- 39 Daniele Sommariva
Sassuolo
Formation: 4-3-3
Starting XI
- 49 Arijanet Murić (G)
- 6 Sebastian Walukiewicz (D)
- 21 Jay Idzes (D)
- 80 Tarik Muharemović (D)
- 3 Josh Doig (D)
- 90 Ismael Koné (M)
- 18 Nemanja Matic (M)
- 42 Kristian Thorstvedt (M)
- 10 Domenico Berardi (F)
- 99 Andrea Pinamonti (F)
- 45 Armand Laurienté (F)
Substitutes
- 7 Cristian Volpato
- 25 Woyo Coulibaly
- 44 Edoardo Iannoni
- 35 Luca Lipani
- 24 Luca Moro
- 33 Christian Frangella
- 66 Pedro Felipe
- 16 Gioele Zacchi
- 12 Giacomo Satalino
- 8 M'Bala Nzola
- 13 Stefano Turati
- 20 Alieu Fadera
Timeline
-
5' Genoa Card · Yellow CardR. Malinovskyi
-
18' Genoa Goal · Normal GoalR. Malinovskyi · Assist: T. Baldanzi
-
20' Genoa Card · Yellow CardMorten Frendrup
-
32' Sassuolo Card · Yellow CardJ. Doig
-
40' Sassuolo Card · Yellow CardS. Walukiewicz
Holding
-
45'+2 Sassuolo Card · Red CardDomenico Berardi
Fighting
-
55' Genoa subst · Substitution 1Off: R. Malinovskyi · On: Patrizio Masini
-
55' Genoa subst · Substitution 2Off: T. Baldanzi · On: A. Martin
-
55' Genoa subst · Substitution 3Off: L. Colombo · On: C. Ekuban
-
57' Sassuolo Goal · Normal GoalIsmael Koné
-
67' Sassuolo subst · Substitution 1Off: S. Walukiewicz · On: W. Coulibaly
-
67' Sassuolo subst · Substitution 2Off: N. Matic · On: C. Volpato
-
75' Genoa subst · Substitution 4Off: Vítor Oliveira · On: Junior Messias
-
81' Sassuolo subst · Substitution 3Off: J. Doig · On: L. Lipani
-
81' Sassuolo subst · Substitution 4Off: A. Pinamonti · On: E. Iannoni
-
84' Genoa Goal · Normal GoalC. Ekuban · Assist: Junior Messias
-
87' Genoa subst · Substitution 5Off: S. Sabelli · On: S. Otoa
-
90'+1 Sassuolo Card · Yellow CardTarik Muharemović
Tripping
Match Stats
| Stat | Genoa | Sassuolo |
|---|---|---|
| Fouls | 9 | 11 |
| Pass Accuracy | 88% | 85% |
| Offsides | 1 | 1 |
| Red Cards | 1 | 1 |
| Total Shots | 14 | 14 |
| Corners | 5 | 3 |
| Total Passes | 423 | 354 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 2 |
| Blocked Shots | 3 | 2 |
| Shots on Target | 7 | 6 |
| xG | 0.59 | 1.21 |
| Shots off Target | 4 | 6 |
| Possession | 54% | 46% |
| Goals Prevented | 0 | 0 |
| Accurate Passes | 371 | 301 |
| Shots Inside Box | 7 | 9 |
| Saves | 5 | 5 |
| Shots Outside Box | 7 | 5 |
Key Match Notes
- ▸ R. Malinovskyi's early goal (18') gave Genoa a crucial lead, boosting their morale against a strong Sassuolo side.
- ▸ The red card to Domenico Berardi (45+2') marked a significant shift in the game, giving Genoa a numerical advantage for the remainder of the match.