ROME -- Genoa beat local rivals Sampdoria 3-0 in the Serie A in a local derby featuring two penalties and three red cards.
Omar Milanetto scored a first-half penalty and Marco Rossi doubled the lead shortly into the second half. Raffaele Palladino then scored a second penalty to wrap up the victory.
The result means Genoa moves up to fifth in the Serie A on 23 points, one place and one point behind Sampdoria.
"Only in my dreams did I think we would win like this," Palladino said. "It is impossible to describe how it feels, I'm lost for words. I've never been so emotional about winning a game of football.
"It doesn't change much, it is just three points, though in the table we moved up a few places."
Genoa took the lead when Milanetto struck a penalty past goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi in the 10th minute after Rodrigo Palacio was brought down by Reto Ziegler in the area.
Genoa then hit the goalframe twice. Sampdoria midfielder Ziegler struck his own post as he tried to cut out a cross aimed for Palacio, and Castellazzi pushed a header by Domenico Criscito on to the bar.
Giuseppe Sculli wasted a great chance to double the lead in the 39th. The striker was one on one with Castellazzi, with Padalino free in front of an empty net, but he decided to shoot and failed to hit the target.
Just before the break, Genoa went down to 10 men when Giuseppe Biava was sent off for a second yellow card after he deliberately handled to stop striker Antonio Cassano from leading a counterattack.
Rossi doubled Genoa's lead in the 53rd when he took Sokratis Papastathopoulos' pass and fired past Castellazzi.
Sampdoria's Marco Rossi then became the second player to be sent off when he received his second yellow card from referee Roberto Rosetti.
Paladino put the result beyond doubt in the 75th when he slotted home Genoa's second penalty of the night. Again it was Ziegler who was responsible, this time for bringing down defender Papastathopoulos.
Fabrizio Cacciatore then became the second Sampdoria player to be sent off. The defender was penalized for a foul on Criscito in the 87th.
Earlier, Antonio Di Natale became the first player to reach 10 goals when he hit Udinese's opener in the 2-0 win over Livorno.
Antonio Floro Flores added the second before halftime with his fifth of the campaign.