Two goals from Alessandro Matri either side of half time were not enough for Genoa as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw with Hellas Verona.

Matri opened the scoring in the 34th minute after heading Giovanni Marchese's well-placed cross beyond Pierluigi Gollini into the top corner of the net.

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The Rossoblu could have been further in front before the interval when Matri nodded the ball in the path of Aleandro Rosi, but his right-footed shot was kept out by Gollini.

On 47 minutes, Verona almost found an equaliser through Javier Saviola after the veteran Argentine forward latched on to Gustavo Campanharo's pass only to see his effort saved by Mattia Perin.

Within 60 seconds, the visitors had found the back of the net when Matri found space on the left side of the home side's penalty area before beating Gollini at his near post.

Verona pulled a goal back on 52 minutes when Panagiotis Tachtsidis's shot proved too much for Perin, following Artur Ionita's pinpoint delivery.

The home side then equalised as Ionita diverted Luca Toni's cross into the net.

Genoa almost snatched victory at the death when Andrea Bertolacci fired just wide of the post, but Verona held on for a point that keeps them in the Europa League qualification places.