Genoa returns to victory and does so at the expense of Cagliari. Gilardino’s team achieved the hat-trick (3-0) at Marassi in the postponement of the 34th matchday of Serie A and celebrated in the best possible way the arithmetic salvation obtained yesterday. The match went downhill for Grifone already in the first half. Thorsby’s winning header (17′) broke the deadlock. Frendrup scores the second upon Vasquez’s invitation (27′). The hosts scored their third goal in the second half, scored by Gudmundsson who scored with a left foot after Frendrup’s assist. In the standings Genoa rises to 42 points, Sardinians stuck at 32, +3 on the relegation zone
Claudio Ranieri, having suffered the defeat, declared: “They deserved the victory, playing well, which we didn’t manage to do. It’s a shame, but when you play against better opponents you just have to compliment them. Our strength had to be aggression and compactness, but with Thorsby Gilardino added a defensive tower for our dead balls but also a jumper in front of goal. We had several absences, so we did what we could. Salvation quota? I think we will have to have 36 or 37 points. but you never know. There are several direct clashes like the next one against Lecce, but we have to continue step by step trying to score as many points as possible.”
Genoa coach Alberto Gilardino instead wanted to compliment his team: “This evening we saw the best Genoa of the season. I had asked for resourcefulness, courage and personality, but with 39 points it wasn’t a given to keep the same mentality. This it’s an extraordinary group, a real team, with all the performers who kept their heads high throughout the match. I hardly thought of a season like this, given the many situations that had to be put right at the beginning of the year. But match after match with a few defeats we did something extraordinary, with credit to the work of the boys.”
