Genoa beats Spal 2-0 to move out of relegation zone

MILAN (AP) — Genoa boosted its hopes of avoiding relegation with a 2-0 win over last-place Spal in Serie A on Sunday.

Goran Pandev and Lasse Schöne scored in each half and Genoa also had a penalty saved.

It was Genoa’s first win since the restart and lifted the team out of the relegation zone. Genoa is two points above Lecce which visits Cagliari in one of five matches later Sunday when Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso faces AC Milan as an opponent for the first time.

Spal is 11 points from safety with six matches remaining.

The match in Genoa was played at a sluggish pace, with temperatures topping 30 degrees Celsius (90 F) .

Pandev fired Genoa in front in the 24th minute and the hosts had a great chance to double their lead 13 minutes later but Iago Falque had his weak penalty saved by Spal goalkeeper Karlo Letica after Arkadiusz Reca tripped Francesco Cassata.

Genoa did get a second shortly after halftime when Schöne curled a magnificent free kick into the top corner.

It could have had a third moments later but Andrea Pinamonti hit the post.