Serie A | Lecce 1-2 Genoa: Messias inspiration for strong victory

ITALY - NOVEMBER 01: Milutin Osmajic of Genoa CFC celebrates after scoring his side first goal during the Serie A match between US Lecce and Genoa CFC at Stadio Via del Mare on November 01, 2026 in Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Genoa notched up a third consecutive victory and this success away to Lecce could prove crucial in the fight to stay in Serie A, as Junior Messias inspired with a goal and assist.

This was a real relegation dogfight, but with very different moods. While the Salentini had started well, they lost four of the last five games going into this weekend, including a 5-1 hammering by Frosinone. Willem Geubbels was injured in the warm-up of that game, so missed out with Lassana Coulibaly, Medon Berisha, Santiago Pierotti, Ivan Ilic and suspended Kialonda Gaspar.

Genoa on the other hand were revitalised by three wins in the last four, culminating in their 2-0 victory over Juventus on Wednesday. Mikael Ellertsson shook off an ankle injury to start, leaving Cody Drameh, Elias Havel and Lorenzo Venturino on the sidelines.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Samuel Wiafe’s early half-volley flashed just wide from the edge of the area for Genoa, and they took the lead when Messias pulled back from the by-line for Milutin Osmajic to turn in first-time from nine yards.

It should’ve been 2-0 when Stephan El Shaarawy unmarked turned wide of the far post on another Messias roll across from the right, while Olaf Gorter stung Justin Bijlow’s gloves from distance.

Genoa doubled their advantage with a very well-worked team move. El Shaarawy immediately knocked on the Hamed Junior Traoré slide-rule pass to release Junior Messias, who with his first touch managed to dribble around Wladimiro Falcone and score from the tightest of angles, as Tiago Gabriel’s goal-line clearance was too late.

Lecce got back into it with a bit of luck, as the Youssef Maleh free kick took a big deflection off Osmajic in the Genoa wall, completely wrong-footing the goalkeeper.

That woke the Salentini up and they started to pour forward, getting the ball in the net during first half stoppages. Antonino Gallo got down the left and pulled across for Nikola Stulic to bundle over the line from point-blank range with a ricochet off Bijlow, but it was disallowed because he got the final touch with his arm.

Bijlow palmed the ferocious Gallo rocket out from under the bar, but Genoa came close to going 3-1 up when the El Shaarawy curler bent around Wladimiro Falcone to bounce off the far post.

Joel Monteiro tested Bijlow at the near stick after squirming away from a tackle at the by-line, but the Lecce striker sustained a calf injury in the process.

Vitinha slipped at the crucial moment to waste another Messias assist, while Amar Fatah had penalty appeals waved away when he went down under a challenge.

Lecce had a big chance to equalise when the Ngom effort was deflected, forcing a tricky Bijlow save, with Paco Esteban unable to get on the end of the rebound.

Osmajic 11 (G), Messias 28 (G), Maleh 40 (L)

1st half

		11'		Milutin Osmajic (Assist: Junior Messias)
		28'		Junior Messias (Assist: Stephan El Shaarawy)
Youssef Maleh		40'

2nd half

Mohamed Kaba		59'
		62'		Hamed Traorè
Jamil Siebert		70'

LEC

GEN

30

Goalkeeper

25

Defender

17

Defender

5

Defender

44

Defender

28

Midfielder

56'

79

Midfielder

14

Midfielder

75'

99

Attacker

59'

11

Attacker

75'

9

Attacker

75'

1

Goalkeeper

27

Defender

22

Defender

5

Defender

25

Midfielder

80'

32

Midfielder

71

Midfielder

61'

10

Attacker

86'

77

Attacker

18

Attacker

86'

92

Attacker

60'

1

Goalkeeper

32

Goalkeeper

18

Defender

8

Defender

31

Defender

3

Defender

77

Midfielder

56'

7

Attacker

59'

16

Midfielder

75'

2

Defender

75'

22

Attacker

75'

20

Defender

8

Midfielder

39

Goalkeeper

2

Defender

99

Goalkeeper

34

Defender

4

Midfielder

14

Defender

31