Udinese and Genoa inch away from drop zone

MILAN: Udinese defeated fellow-strugglers Crotone 3-0 in Serie A to inch away from the relegation zone.

Jakub Jankto ( pic) 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 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 themselves even more vulnerable at the back and Lasagna finished off a perfect counter-attack in the 66th minute.

Davide Ballardini continued his unbeaten return as Genoa coach as he steered his side to their first win at 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 their previous 12 Serie A matches.

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

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