Controversy as Gonzalo Higuain brace sends Napoli third

Higuain headed the hosts in front after seven minutes from a rebound but replays suggested he was just offside when Jose Callejon fired in a shot which Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin parried into the Argentine's path.

Iago Falque levelled for Genoa in the 56th minute but Napoli regained the lead with a controversial penalty awarded for an alleged push by Juraj Kucka on Higuain.

Contact appeared to be minimal but Higuain, oblivious to the Genoa protests, fired home from the penalty spot with 15 minutes left for his 12th league goal of the season.

Italian football has been hit by a rash of controversial refereeing decisions since the mid-season break and Napoli themselves were furious after a 3-1 home defeat by leaders Juventus.

Napoli went into third place, the Champions League playoff spot, with 36 points from 20 games, six behind second-placed Roma.

Silvan Widmer scored an unusual goal to give mid-table Udinese a 2-1 win at Empoli when his cross from the right caught goalkeeper Luigi Sepe napping and went into the goal off the inside of the post.

Veteran Antonio Di Natale put Udinese in front, the 37-year-old's ninth goal of the season, and Riccardo Saponara levelled for the strugglers with a penalty before halftime.