Genoa climbed out of the Serie relegation zone on Sunday with a 2-0 win over SPAL that left their opponents on the brink, while Sampdoria inched towards safety with an eventful 3-1 win at Udinese.

Goran Pandev's smart 24th-minute opener and a stunning Lasse Schone free-kick eight minutes after the break gave Genoa their first win since the league restart last month and moves them up to 17th.