Stephan El Shaarawy marked his 20th birthday with the only goal of the game as AC Milan registered their third Serie A win of the season at the expense of Genoa CFC.

The Italy striker, who started his career with the Rossoblu, was the brightest spark in a first half devoid of meaningful chances. Ignazio Abate threatened after the break with a shot which Sébastien Frey saved with his legs, before Urby Emanuelson released the right-back, who crossed for El Shaarawy to tap in his sixth league goal of the campaign.

Milan climb seven places to eighth as a result, while Genoa, for whom this was their first game under new coach Luigi Del Neri, drop into the bottom half following their fifth match without a victory. Bottom-of-the-table AC Siena halted a run of three successive defeats by drawing 0-0 in the early game with fellow strugglers US Città di Palermo.