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Marco Borriello's penalty gave Genoa an important and hard-fought victory over Catania.
Both teams were tipped for relegation pre-season, but found themselves comfortably mid-table. They hadn't met in the top flight since a 3-0 home victory in 1983. Genoa had won three of their last four matches, but were without the suspended Rubinho and injured Gaetano De Rosa. Catania still had the glow from their midweek Coppa Italia qualification for the semi-finals, but were without a victory in four Serie A rounds and had Juan Manuel Vargas banned.
Alessio Scarpi filled in for the suspended Rubinho and within the opening 60 seconds had to rush out to close down Gionatha Spinesi, who had pounced on a poor Santos backpass.
Genoa fought back, as Marco Borriello spun round and drilled just wide and they took the lead. Brazilian Danilo scored his first Serie A goal by tapping in the rebound from a parried Borriello effort.
Ciro Polito came charging out to clear from Marco Rossi and Catania felt they deserved a penalty for Cesare Bovo's handling offence on Spinesi.
Straight after the restart Polito did well to tip a Lucho Figueroa header on to the underside of the crossbar, preventing Genoa's second goal from a Rossi cross.
Scarpi had to perform a stunning save on Spinesi's overhead kick, the Gennaro Sardo cross held up by Morimoto.
Catania drew level in bizarre circumstances, but it was deserved considering all they had done so far. Bovo got his head to a Silvestri cross and accidentally looped it over his own goalkeeper.
Polito performed a desperate save on Santos' header and Borriello nodded a Juric cross on to the roof of the net.
The referee awarded a penalty to Genoa for Christian Terlizzi's handling offence on a Borriello header. The centre-forward took the penalty himself to send Polito the wrong way with his 12th Serie A goal of the season.
Morimoto thought he had earned a point for the Sicilians in stoppages, but his header only shook the side-netting from Izco's assist.
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