Napoli win 3-2 at Genoa with last-gasp penalty to close gap on leaders

Napoli's Rasmus Hojlund netted a stoppage-time penalty to snatch a 3-2 victory at Genoa on Saturday as they finished with 10 men but closed the gap on the top two in Serie A.

Hojlund, who also got Napoli's first, slotted home the spot-kick five minutes into added time as the champions moved to 49 points, still six adrift of leaders Inter Milan but one behind second-placed AC Milan, who both have a game in hand.

It was a controversial penalty, after a VAR review found Genoa substitute Maxwel Cornet stood on Antonio Vergara's foot, but a major boost to Napoli hopes of retaining the Scudetto.

Napoli played out the last quarter of an hour with 10 men after the dismissal of defender Juan Jesus.

The game started with a VAR review that allowed Genoa to take an early lead through Ruslan Malinovskyi’s penalty but Scott McTominay turned the tables.

The Scot provided an assist for Hojlund and hit a superb long-range strike two minutes later for a 2-1 halftime lead.

A defensive slip allowed Genoa to equalise through Lorenzo Colombo in the 57th minute before the dramatic conclusion.

Genoa went ahead in the third minute from the penalty which was belatedly awarded after a VAR review.

The hosts had swept onto the attack in the opening 30 seconds, forcing an error from defender Alessandro Buongiorno which saw goalkeeper Alex Meret come out and foul Vitinha.

Napoli equalised in the 20th minute as Vergara's searching pass allowed McTominay to find space and strike a powerful shot which Justin Bijlow could only parry into the path of Hojlund.

McTominay was further away from goal when he netted two minutes later, unleashing a thunderous right-footed shot from more than 20 metres that flew into to net.

But the Scottish midfielder struggled towards the end of the first half with injury and was taken off at the break.

Genoa, who are six points above the relegation places, made it 2-2 in the 57th with Buongiorno caught in possession again, losing the ball in a challenge with Colombo, who ran in on goal before hooking the ball into the opposite corner.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)