Genoa secured a surprise 1-0 friendly victory over Claudio Ranieri’s Nantes, but the French hosts hit the woodwork three times.
It was particularly unexpected, as the Ligue 1 season kicks off next weekend, whereas Genoa’s first competitive match isn’t until August 20.
The inside of the post denied a Valentin Rongier angled drive, Giovanni Simeone failed to make the most of a promising move with Goran Pandev and Nantes rattled the woodwork for the second time with Prejuce Nakoulma’s curler.
Genoa secured a surprise 1-0 friendly victory over Claudio Ranieri’s Nantes, but the French hosts hit the woodwork three times.
It was particularly unexpected, as the Ligue 1 season kicks off next weekend, whereas Genoa’s first competitive match isn’t until August 20.
The inside of the post denied a Valentin Rongier angled drive, Giovanni Simeone failed to make the most of a promising move with Goran Pandev and Nantes rattled the woodwork for the second time with Prejuce Nakoulma’s curler.
Ervin Zukanovic required a goal-line clearance to stop Rongier turning in and in the second half Alexander Kacaniklic confirmed it really wasn’t Nantes’ night by thumping the crossbar as well.
The breakthrough came for Genoa, as Diego Laxalt was brought down and Nikola Ninkovic curled in the resulting free kick.
Eugenio Lamanna denied Nicolas Pallois and Alves De Lima an equaliser in the final moments of the game.
Nantes 0-1 Genoa
Ninkovic 79 (G)
Nantes: Dupé; Dubois, Djidji (Pallois 46), Diego Carlos, Alcibiade, Lima; A Toure, Rongier (Thomasson 65), Kacaniklic (Gillet 65); Nakoulma (Kolo-Muani 46), Sala (Gandi 71)
Genoa: Lamanna; Zukanovic (Izzo 52), Gentiletti (Munoz 69), Rigoni (Veloso 69), Biraschi, Laxalt, Lazovic (Fiamozzi 77), Bertolacci (Cofie 69), Simeone (Galabinov 62), Pandev (Omeonga 69), Ninkovic