Torino and Genoa played out an enthralling 3-3 draw at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin on Wednesday evening.
The away side opened the scoring with a Diego Laxalt header before strikes from Maxi Lopez and Davide Zappacosta put the hosts in front before the break.
Leonardo Pavoletti levelled before a late Panagiotis Tachtsidis own goal looked to have secured the points for Torino. Laxalt had other ideas as he added his second in injury time to earn a share of the spoils for the Rossoblu.
Torino dominated the early stages of the match with Afriyie Acquah and Maxi Lopez seeing efforts narrowly miss the target.
It was Genoa who surprisingly broke the deadlock in the 25th minute. Torino goalkeeper Daniele Padelli failed with his attempt to punch clear, allowing Pavoletti to head the ball into the path of Laxalt to guide his header into the net.
Torino did not allow that setback to bring their confidence down, equalizing two minutes later through Lopez who picked up the loose ball, took a touch into the Genoa box and fired a low effort just beyond the outstretched glove of Mattia Perin.
Torino scored again in the 34th minute through a delightful Zappacosta half-volley, after picking up the loose ball from a Cristian Molinaro corner kick.
Genoa’s Olivier Ntcham nearly responded just before the interval with a fierce effort but the attempt missed the target.
The Grifone began the second half more positively than the first with Laxalt playing Pavoletti in at the near post but his sliding effort finished just wide.
Serge Gakpe replaced the disappointing Diogo Figueiras in the 61st minute and the substitution paid dividends five minutes later, as the Togolese international played Pavoletti through on goal, whose second sliding effort found the target to draw Genoa level.
Torino began stepping up the pressure again and a Zappacosta cross from the right met the head of Andrea Belotti but Armando Izzo was there to clear the danger.
Lopez then found space from a tight angle to send in a cross but Perin was able to smother the loose ball.
Torino’s late-game pressure paid off in the 89th minute, in the most bizarre of fashions. Substitute Bruno Peres sent in a cross from the right which was met by the head of Benassi. Perin made the original save and then attempted to punch clear, his punch hitting the leg of Panagiotis Tachtsidis before agonizingly rolling into the corner for the goal, sending the Stadio Olimpico into a state of bliss.
There was one final twist of the plot still yet to transpire. In the fourth minute of time added on, a Perotti cross from the right found the head of Laxalt who did just enough to get it past Padelli, astonishingly bringing the match level once again.
Referee Daniele Chiffi blew the final whistle shortly after, much to the disappointment of all neutral viewers, with the match ending in a captivating 3-3 draw.
