Genoa’s Raffaele Palladino scored with just two minutes to go to down Juventus 3-2 in a pulsating Serie A match at the Marassi.
Thiago Motta put the Rossoblu ahead before Allesandro Del Piero levelled from a debatable penalty decision.
Motta restored the hosts’ advantage just before the break and although Vicenzo Iaquinta seemed to have earned a point for Juventus late on, Palladino struck to send Genoa back into fourth place in Serie A.
Palladino clearly signalled Genoa’s intent when he fired past Buffon only to have his shot cleared off the line.
Palladino was again involved when his shot appeared to strike a Juve hand in the box, but the referee waved away the Rossoblu’s appeals.
The deadlock was finally broken when Giandomenico Mesto ran into the heart of the Bianconeri’s box and when the ball broke kindly for Motta, the Brazilian stroked the ball home.
Juventus levelled in controversial circumstances.
Matteo Ferrari appeared to take the ball as he slid in to deny Del Piero, but the referee pointed for a spot kick as the striker went down under the challenge. Del Piero picked himself up to calmly slot the ball home.
Genoa replied in the best possible way. Domenico Criscito won a late corner and Motta rose superbly to beat Buffon just seconds before the interval.
As both teams probed after the break, it was Pavel Nedved who almost levelled for Juventus.
Following unselfish work by Iaquinta, the Czech’s shot was cleared off the line before his second attempt whistled narrowly over the bar.
The task became harder for the visitors when Mauro Camoranesi was shown a straight red for a knee-high challenge on Giuseppe Sculli.
The Genoa man was fit to continue and was back in the action when his header forced Buffon into a great save.
Bosko Jankovic also came close, but it was Juventus who scored out of the blue.
Nedved twisted and turned in the box and when he released Iaquinta, the Juventus number nine lifted the ball over Rubinho.
There was still time for one final twist.
As time ticked down, substitute Marco Rossi beat the Juventus offside trap and squared the ball for the unmarked Palladino to keep Genoa’s hopes of Champions League spot very much alive.
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