Udinese and Genoa inch away from relegation zone with wins

Udinese won at fellow-struggler Crotone 3-0 in Serie A to inch away from the relegation zone on Monday.

Jakub Jankto scored in each half and Kevin Lasagna added the third as Udinese moved five points above 18th-placed Spal.

Crotone remained two points above the bottom three.

Genoa moved a point above Crotone by beating 19th-placed Hellas Verona 1-0.

Crotone and Udinese met following back-to-back league defeats, and the latter broke the deadlock four minutes from halftime.

Crotone goalkeeper Alex Cordaz parried Lasagna's shot but only as far as Jankto, who fired into an empty net.

The Czech Republic midfielder doubled his tally eight minutes after the break. Maxi Lopez raced down the right flank, cut inside, and rolled the ball across for Jankto to curl into the far corner.

Crotone strived to get back into the game but left itself even more vulnerable at the back and Lasagna finished off a perfect counterattack in the 66th.

POSITIVE RETURN

Davide Ballardini continued his unbeaten return as Genoa coach as he steered his side to its first win at Hellas Verona since 1958.

Ballardini has won three matches in all competitions and drawn the other since replacing the sacked Ivan Juric for his third spell as Genoa coach.

Genoa had earned just six points from its previous 12 Serie A matches.

Goran Pandev scored the only goal in first-half stoppage time.

Daniele Verde almost put Hellas Verona in front but hit the crossbar, and Daniel Bessa thought he equalized but the goal was ruled out for handball by Alessio Cerci.