Genoa moved into a share of fourth place in Serie A after starting the year with a thumping win over Torino.
Giuseppe Biava headed the Rossoblu ahead in the 18th minute and Bosko Jankovic added a second in the 48th minute.
A third header, this time from Thiago Motta five minutes from time, earned Genoa all three points and lifted them above Napoli in the table, level on points with Fiorentina.
Torino reacted positively after going two goals down, but were unable to get back into the game and remain just one point above the bottom three, who are all in action Sunday.
A bitterly cold wind swept through the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, and the slow tempo of the game did not help the players warm up in any way.
Both sides seemed rusty after the three-week winter break and chances were at a premium.
The first fell to the home side from a corner with Matteo Ferrari heading weakly at Matteo Sereni.
Marco Di Loreto then almost put the ball into his own net after Jankovic sent a cross towards Ruben OIivera and the Torino defender got a foot in first, scooping the ball just over the crossbar.
The visitors had an excellent chance to go ahead in the 16th minute when the ball fell kindly for Blerim Dzemaili 20 yards from goal, but Rubinho made a fine one-handed diving save to deny his curling effort.
Jankovic was Genoa's dangerman in the absence of 12-goal top-scorer Diego Milito, and his burst of pace enabled him to break through and set up a chance for Olivera, whose shot was deflected wide.
The resulting corner provided the opening goal, with Biava rising to meet Ivan Juric's cross and heading the ball in from six yards.
Genoa doubled their lead early in the second half after Giuseppe Sculli launched an attack with a fine run before setting up Jankovic to score with a simple header from close range.
The tireless Sculli almost created a third when he refused to give up on a long, sweeping cross from Giandomenico Mesto which everybody else had left for a goal kick.
Unfortunately for the home side, Anthony Vanden Borre arrived just too late to meet his header back across goal.
The game appeared to be over as a contest, but Salvatore Bocchetti almost gifted Torino a lifeline by diverting a cross towards his own goal. Rubinho saved the Genoa defender's blushes with an instinctive save.
This near miss gave the visitors hope and substitute Roberto Stellone dragged a shot just wide of the far post from 15 yards.
But any chance of a recovery was snuffed out five minutes from time when Motta headed in a third for Genoa.
The Brazilian seemed to suffer a concussion in the process as his goal sealed a win which kept Genoa's Champions League bid on track.
Sculli could have added a fourth in stoppage time, but his backheel was deflected behind before Ferrari went close with another header.
