Daniel Bessa may well have relegated his own club, as Verona went down 3-1 to Genoa at Marassi.

Iuri Medeiros' strike had given the Grifone a half-time lead, but Romulo's penalty got the visitors back in to it.

However, the man they loaned to Genoa in January returned to haunt them, coming off the bench to score a late goal before Goran Pandev's sensational chip added insult to injury.

Fabio Pecchia's side went in to the match six points from safety, knowing that they had only four games after this one to try and bridge the gap.

Alessio Cerci admitted before the game that winning was Verona's only option, and it was a frantic start to the match with Nicolas Andrade beating away a shot from Iuri Medeiros, which allowed the Butei to break.

Mohamed Fares surged into the box and squared it for Ryder Matos, but he somehow failed to make contact at the back post with the goal at his mercy.

Medeiros may have been denied in the opening stages, but there was nothing Nicolas could do to stop him opening the scoring after six minutes.

Diego Laxalt burst down the left flank and passed the ball inside for the Portuguese midfielder.

Medeiros took a touch, looked up and curled a fantastic left-footed shot in to the corner from the edge of the box.

Mattia Valoti dramatically went down in the other box, but referee Claudio Gavillucci wasn't impressed and rightly waved play on.

Verona pushed for an equaliser before the break, and Romulo missed a glorious chance on the stroke of half-time.

Matos burst down the right, and his low cross had to be intercepted by Grifone goalkeeper Mattia Perin.

Romulo was following up, but the Brazilian somehow headed over an open goal with Perin sprawled on the turf.

The second half started in much the same vein as the first, with Matos failing to get on the end of an Alessio Cerci cross.

Gianluca Lapadula attempted a spectacular scissor kick, and though it flashed just wide the Stadio Luigi Ferraris rose to applaud the effort.

Perin was caught in possession by Cerci, but Davide Biraschi was on hand to bail out his goalkeeper.

Lapadula's run had Verona hearts in mouths, but Jagoš Vuković got across to block his goal-bound shot.

Cerci was looking dangerous cutting in off the left wing, but Matos lashed a shot high and wide after the former Milan man's through ball had been knocked on by Romulo.

Verona were getting increasingly desperate, but they were handed a way back into the game just after the hour mark.

Cerci's shot cannoned off Oscar Hiljemark, and Gavillucci ruled it was a deliberate handball.

Romulo stepped up to take the resulting spot kick, and sent Perin the wrong way with a cool, rolled finish.

Luca Rossettini went close with a header from a corner as both teams pushed for a winner.

Lapadula horribly miscued a volley at the back post, so badly that the ball actually stayed in play.

That proved to be a stroke of fortune for the Grifone though, as Lazovic was able to pick the ball up on the touchline.

He cut it back, and substitute Daniel Bessa found the net - the Brazilian is on loan from Verona, and may well have condemned his parent club to relegation.

Laxalt almost sealed the points with a half-volley on the turn, but Nicolas got a strong hand to it to push it over the bar.

The visitors were given a glimmer of hope, as four minutes were added on by the officials.

It was merely a stay of execution for Verona though, as Goran Pandev added a brilliant third.

The Macedonian striker picked the ball up just outside the box and, having spotted Nicolas off his line, sent a delightful chip over the goalkeeper's head to seal all three points.

The result leaves the Butei needing a miracle to stay in Serie A, as they have just four matches to make up six points, with trips to Milan and Juventus still to come.