Mario Balotelli makes first Serie A appearance in 4 years in Genoa's win over Parma

Mario Balotelli made his first Serie A appearance in four years when he came on as a late substitute in Genoa's 1-0 win over Parma on Monday and earned a yellow card within five minutes.

Balotelli came on in the 86th minute and was booked in injury time for a foul.

The former Italy international signed with relegation-threatened Genoa last week, having last played in Italy’s top division with hometown club Brescia in 2019-20.

Parma's winless streak reached nine games with the loss, even though the host had the best of the first half with Valentin Mihaila and Anas Haj Mohamed coming close to opening the scoring.

But Genoa took control after the break as Morten Thorsby had a goal disallowed after 49 minutes and Andrea Pinamonti hit the post shortly after. Pinamonti scored the winner with 11 minutes remaining when he slotted home the rebound from Jeff Ekhator’s low shot.

It was Genoa’s first win since beating Monza on Aug. 24 and moves it off the bottom of the standings and into 17th place. Parma is 15th.

Also, Empoli earned its first home win of the Italian league season after a goal two minutes into the second half from Pietro Pellegri was enough to beat Como 1-0.

The on-loan Torino striker took advantage of poor defending before driving into the penalty box and scoring from an angle.

It was Empoli’s first goal at home this season. The club has scored only eight times in 11 matches but is still in 11th place in Serie A thanks to a strong defense that has conceded just nine times.

Como stayed in 16th.

Lazio beat Cagliari 2-1 thanks to a late penalty from Mattia Zaccagni.

The home side was gifted the lead after just two minutes when Simone Scuffet spilled Luca Pellegrini’s free kick right at the feet of Boulaye Dia, giving him easiest of finishes to notch his eighth goal of the season.

Zito Luvumbo equalized for Cagliari four minutes before halftime when the Angolan striker spun and his shot took a deflection that wrongfooted the Lazio keeper and rolled into the net.

Zaccagni then made no mistake from the spot with 14 minutes remaining after Pellegrini was felled by Nadir Zortea.

Two Cagliari players were sent off shortly afterward as Yerry Mina was first shown a second booking for a foul and Ndary Adopo also earned a second yellow for complaining about the decision.

The win lifts Lazio into fifth place, a point above Juventus and level with Fiorentina and Atalanta. Cagliari remains in 16th.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Genoa's Mario Balotelli warms up during the Serie A soccer match between Parma and Genoa at Ennio Tardini Stadium in Parma, Italy, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Genoa's Mario Balotelli looks on during Genoa warm up during the Serie A soccer match between Parma and Genoa at Ennio Tardini Stadium in Parma, Italy, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Genoa's Mario Balotelli, front, fights for the ball with Parma's Emanuele Valeri, right, during the Serie A soccer match between Parma and Genoa at Ennio Tardini Stadium in Parma, Italy, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Lazio's Taty Castellanos, right, and Cagliari's Sebastiano Luperto vie for the ball during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Cagliari, at Rome's Olympic stadium, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Lazio's Boulaye Dia, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Cagliari, at Rome's Olympic stadium, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Lazio's Taty Castellanos controls the ball during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Cagliari, at Rome's Olympic stadium, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Empoli's Emmanuel Gyasi runs with the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Empoli and Como, at the "Carlo Castellani - Computer Gross Arena" stadium in Empoli, Italy, Monday , Nov. 4, 2024. (Marco Bucco/LaPresse via AP)

Empoli's Pietro Pellegri celebrates after scoring his team's first goal, during the Serie A soccer match between Empoli and Como, at the "Carlo Castellani - Computer Gross Arena" stadium in Empoli, Italy, Monday , Nov. 4, 2024. (Marco Bucco/LaPresse via AP)

Genoa's Andrea Pinamonti, center, reacts during the Serie A match between Parma and Genoa at the Ennio Tardini Stadium in Parma, Italy, Monday Nov. 4, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Parma's Anas Haj Mohamed reacts during the Serie A match between Parma and Genoa at the Ennio Tardini Stadium in Parma, Italy, Monday Nov. 4, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Parma's Dennis Man vies for the ball with Genoa's goalkeeper Nicola Leali during the Serie A match between Parma and Genoa at the Ennio Tardini Stadium in Parma, Italy, Monday Nov. 4, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Mike McCarthy slammed a tablet. That was after the Dallas Cowboys coach already had reacted angrily to his failed fourth-down play call.

Dak Prescott grimaced badly on a throw when something the quarterback said he'd never felt before ended up being a hamstring injury that will sideline him at least one game, while All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb tossed a towel over his face to try to deal with the pain in a shoulder that hit the turf hard twice.

A season that already was turning south might have headed that way for good in a 27-21 loss to Atlanta, the first of four consecutive games for the Cowboys (3-5) against teams with winning records.

Prescott's backup, Cooper Rush, is set to start Sunday when the defending NFC East champions play division rival Philadelphia (6-2) at home. It's possible Prescott will miss multiple games.

Minus the coronavirus pandemic, it's beginning to look a lot like 2020, a lost season marred by injuries and myriad other issues in McCarthy's Dallas debut.

The difference is McCarthy isn't under contract beyond this year, which leaves owner and general manager Jerry Jones at a midseason crossroads with the trade deadline looming Tuesday.

Jones addressed players, coaches and staff in the locker room after the loss to the Falcons, trying to deliver a message that he believes the team can turn things around.

“I really don't want to get into that because it was a very emotional message,” Jones said when asked by reporters outside the locker room what he said. “We all know we've got to play better than we've played tonight or we're not going anywhere.”

Jones backed his coach again, too.

“I'm good with Mike,” Jones said. “I know how hard he works. I like his football mind. He's really good with players. He's got a lot of fire in his belly. And so I'm just giving you this: I like the positives I see.”

McCarthy said injured reserve was a consideration for Prescott, who was lost to a broken ankle in Week 5 in 2020, when the Cowboys finished 6-10. Dallas' current three-game losing streak is the first since that season. An IR move would sideline Prescott for at least four games.

Jones and McCarthy were optimistic Lamb would play against the Eagles despite a right shoulder sprain. Despite clearly being in pain, Lamb returned to the Atlanta game.

Regardless of who's in the lineup, the Cowboys face a long road to try to extend their three-year playoff run. They already have matched the number of losses from each of those three regular seasons.

“Sometimes in this league, it just takes one,” said Prescott, who left the Atlanta game early in the fourth quarter. “It takes one to get it going, to get that confidence back, to feel good and rally from there. I’m not looking too far ahead.”

One of the few positives for the Cowboys is actually something of an indictment. Their best offensive player has been kicker Brandon Aubrey, who has followed a record-setting rookie season with the second-longest field goal in NFL history at 65 yards, which came in Week 3 against Baltimore. He is 19 of 20 from at least 50 yards in two seasons.

There are so many problems that it's more a question of what doesn't need help. But the starting point is Dallas needs star pass rusher Micah Parsons (ankle) and All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) back soon.

The Cowboys have had difficulty getting pressure on opposing QBs without Parsons and defensive DeMarcus Lawrence. Both were injured in a victory at the New York Giants in Week 4. Lawrence is on injured reserve with a foot injury.

The secondary has looked lost at times and could use an emotional boost from Bland, who set an NFL record by returning five interceptions for touchdowns last season. The frustration boiled over when 2021 All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs lost his cool with a television reporter after losing to San Francisco.

Rico Dowdle looked good against the Falcons in the first game in which the Cowboys abandoned their committee approach behind Prescott. Dowdle got 12 of the 14 carries by running backs and had 75 yards rushing.

Dowdle's day raises questions about Ezekiel Elliott's future. Elliott stayed home for disciplinary reasons, and Jones said the issue was being late for meetings. Elliott rejoined the Cowboys after a year in New England. Dallas dumped its former two-time rushing champ in a cost-cutting move after the 2022 season.

Dallas keeps talking about communication problems, which just seem to get worse. Even after a timeout, Diggs wasn't sure where to line up and got beat for a long touchdown against the Falcons. The Cowboys wanted to go for it on fourth-and-1 in the second half but had 12 men in the huddle. They had to punt.

Beyond the questions around Prescott, Lamb, Parsons and Bland, the Cowboys are hoping WR Brandin Cooks can return from injured reserve soon. He's been out with a knee issue. It will be a longer absence for Lawrence and rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, a second-round pick who injured a knee in Week 5 at Pittsburgh.

3.8 — The air yards per attempt for Prescott against the Falcons, a career low by more than half a yard. It's a stark illustration of how the Cowboys don't trust a mostly young and badly underperforming offensive line to protect the quarterback.

The Cowboys already are three games behind Washington and Philadelphia in the loss column in the NFC East. They like to look at the bright side of having both games against the Commanders and Eagles remaining.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Guyton talks on the bench during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) celebrates a touchdown reception against Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) reads a tablet on the bench during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott after an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. The Falcons won 27-21. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. The Falcons won 27-21. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson)