Bologna earns dramatic late point against stubborn Genoa
Lorenzo De Silvestri scored in the fifth minute of stoppage-time to steal a point for Bolgona against Genoa, the sides drawing 1-1 in Serie A's first match of 2024.
Bologna came into the match hoping to get back to winning ways after a disappointing defeat to Udinese last time out, but things didn't look good after Albert Gudmundsson put the visitors ahead with a free-kick that evaded everyone and drifted into the back of the net on 20 minutes.
The score remained 1-0 at half-time but the home side piled on the pressure in the second half but to no avail and Genoa defended deep to hold Bologna at bay.
Bologna thought it had cracked the code in the 76th minute when Riccardo Calafiori headed home a free-kick from Alexis Saelemaekers, but the Genoa line held just enough to put him offside, VAR confirming the onfield decision of the assistant referee, who raised his flag correctly to rule out a goal.
The hosts pushed, forcing several stunning saves out of Josep Martinez in the Genoa goal, but the visitors' resistance would final break in the dying embers of the game when they failed to clear a corner, and the ball fell kindly for De Silvestri to slam home.
Bologna would have moved up into fourth place with a win, but for Genoa, it was another valuable point in a four-match unbeaten streak that has also included 1-1 draws with first-placed Inter Milan and second-placed Juventus.
