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It took a late Giuseppe Sculli header to grab a point in this extraordinarily ill-tempered encounter with three red cards. These sides have been revelations this season and Genoa knew maintaining their excellent home record would keep them in the race for Europe. The derby victory boosted confidence, although they had to do without Matteo Paro, Giandomenico Mesto, Andrea Gasbarroni and the suspended Giuseppe Biava. Ivan Juric picked up an injury in the warm-up and was replaced by Omar Milanetto. Atalanta crushed Udinese last week, but their away form was dismal and they made the trip without Antonino D’Agostino, Luca Cigarini and Alessio Cerci. Diego Milito's header in to the ground ricocheted on to the far upright with Ferdinando Coppola well beaten. Valdes was fortunate to avoid a red card for hauling down Raffaele Palladino as he was running clear on goal just 13 minutes into the match. However, it was Atalanta who opened the scoring on their first real chance. Cristiano Doni nodded a goal kick into the path of Sergio Floccari. He flicked the ball over Sokratis Papastathopoulos, dribbled past two others and deposited it past the goalkeeper. Palladino's volley at the back post was parried at point-blank range and the follow-up from Rossi was also smothered. Atalanta were reduced to 10 men after Gianpaolo Bellini went through the back of Palladino for a second yellow card. It didn't last long, as Genoa also went down to 10 men with a straight red for Milanetto. Tiberio Guarente had dispossessed him and was running away, but Milanetto kicked out with both feet to effectively catch him from beneath in cynical foul. The tension escalated and Atalanta had another player sent off for an appalling Claudio Rivalta hack on the back of Palladino's calves. He had only been on the field for five minutes and forced the Genoa man off on a stretcher. Milito's looping header settled in to the net, but he had already been flagged offside. Jankovic also had a goal disallowed by the linesman as he tapped in at the back post. Genoa eventually got their equaliser in the closing minutes, as a long cross found Giuseppe Sculli's header back across the face of goal into the far corner. The Rossoblu had their third goal of the match ruled offside, this time by Jankovic. | 
