Neither Palermo nor Genoa were able to make any significant inroads on the top five in Serie A as they shared the spoils in a goalless draw at the Renzo Barbera.

Palermo enjoyed the better of the first half and were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty five minutes before the break.

Genoa finally got into gear in the second 45 minutes, but they were unable to break the deadlock and had to settle for a point which lifts them to seventh in the table as their attention now turns to Thursday's crucial Europa League tie with Lille.

Edison Cavani had the ball in the back of the net after just three minutes, but he had intentionally used his hand to nudge the ball past Genoa goalkeeper Alessio Scarpi and, rather than celebrate a goal, he was shown the yellow card.

The Rosanero continued to control the game with the lively Fabrizio Miccoli lifting the ball into the path of Mark Bresciano, who was only a split second too late to the ball as Scarpi raced from his goal to pounce.

Scarpi made an even better save to deny Miccoli in the 15th minute, recovering his ground after the Palermo striker had taken the ball round him and getting down low to push the ball behind with his right hand.

It was practically one-way traffic with Bresciano testing Scarpi from distance.

Genoa had to wait until the 38th minute for their first chance, which fell to Giandomenico Mesto, who tried to lift the ball over Salvatore Sirigu after he punched the ball clear, but the Genoa midfielder's shot also cleared the crossbar.

Two minutes later, Palermo should have had a penalty when Marco Rossi pulled Miccoli down in the area, but the referee mistakenly judged that the infringement had taken place outside of the area.

Genoa were riding their luck and they almost got a break just before the interval when Raffaele Palladino's shot was only parried by Sirigu and Rossi volleyed the ball straight back at the Palermo goalkeeper when an inch either side would probably have beaten him.

The Rossoblu improved in the second half, during which coach Gian Piero Gasperini replaced the whole of his three-man attack.

Hernan Crespo caused the biggest threat with some good close control and shots on the turn.

His best effort came in the 87th minute, but Sirigu was alert to the danger and made the save.

Palermo's best chance of the second half was created by Abel Hernandez, whose overhead kick in the 83rd minute went wide of Scarpi's post.