Osvaldo boosts Roma Champions League hopes AS Roma's Argentinian forward Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (C) celebrates after scoring during the ...

Osvaldo boosts Roma Champions League hopes

AS Roma's Argentinian forward Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (C) celebrates after scoring during the Italian Serie A football match Roma vs Genoa at Olympic stadium in Rome. (Photo/AFP)

Roma gave their outside hopes of a top-three finish in Serie A a shot in the arm on Monday night with a 1-0 win against Genoa thanks to an early strike from Pablo Daniel Osvaldo.

The Argentine -- returning to the side after a two-match ban -- scored what proved to be the only goal of the game in the third minute to take Roma clear in sixth place with 44 points.

Luis Enrique's side are now four points behind city rivals Lazio, who lie third, and three adrift of both Napoli and Udinese.

Genoa, meanwhile, are 14th with 33 points, seven clear of the relegation zone, after what was their seventh match without a win.

Roma got off to the perfect start as they sought to build on last weekend's victory at Palermo, with Osvaldo turning away from Marco Rossi and firing past Sebastien Frey into the far corner of the net for his ninth goal of the season.

They dominated the game after that, but were unable to add to their lead, with substitute Bojan Krkic in particular guilty of a glaring miss late on.

But Genoa squandered the two outstanding chances that came their way, Fernando Belluschi being denied by Maarten Stekelenburg from close range in the first half and Rodrigo Palacio hitting the bar from just six yards out after the break.

The Giallorossi now travel to face Serie A leaders AC Milan on Sunday.

(Agencies)