Udinese and Fiorentina both returned to winning ways in Serie A on Sunday following narrow victories.
Di Natale returns to lift Udinese, Chievo go down in Siena
Udinese and Fiorentina both returned to winning ways in Serie A on Sunday following narrow victories over Palermo and Genoa respectively.
Antonio Di Natale, who missed Udinese's 2-0 away defeat to Napoli in midweek because of injury, returned to the team and scored the only goal in the 38th minute against their Sicilian visitors.
It finished 1-0 at the Stadio Friuli in Udine to the Bianconeri, who are now second in the table on 18 points from nine matches, just one behind leaders Juventus.
There was a 1-0 home win for
Fiorentina as well, as Andrea Lazzari's goal four minutes before the half-time interval was enough to condemn
Genoa to their first defeat in four matches.
Parma also emerged victorious at home, as they got the better of
Cesena 2-0. The Ducali could have gone ahead on 35 minutes had Sebastian Giovinco not failed to convert his penalty.
However, Gabriel Paletta did eventually break the deadlock for Parma four minutes before the half-time break and Alessandro Lucarelli wrapped up the points with his goal on 71 minutes.
The defeat leaves winless Cesena at the foot of the league standings with just three points from nine matches.
The other two teams in the relegation zone were also in action on Sunday, as
Lecce and
Novara played out a 1-1 draw at Via del Mare.
Rodney Strasser put the hosts ahead just after the half-hour mark, but Marco Rigoni replied for the visitors from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time.
Lecce remain second from bottom with five points from nine matches, while Novara are two points and one place above them.
Chievo's poor form continued as they lost their third successive league match when they went down 4-1 at
Siena.
Mattia Destro bagged a brace for the home side, with Gaetano D'Agostino and Emanuele Calaio also finding the target.
Davide Moscardelli scored the consolidation for the Veronese club, who are now just two points above the relegation zone in 16th.
In the other game in Serie A on Sunday afternoon,
Bologna defeated
Atalanta 3-1 at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara..
The Felsinei went behind as early as the seventh minute when German Denis found the target for the visitors, but replied with goals from Marco Di Vaio (penalty), Gaston Ramirez and Simone Loria to garner maximum points at home.
In the evening kick-off on Sunday,
Lazio registered a comfortable 3-0 victory over
Cagliari in Sardinia to move level on points with second-placed Udinese.
Senad Lulic put the Roman visitors into the lead on 39 minutes, and Miroslav Klose doubled the Eagles' advantage five minutes later.
Substitute Tommaso Rocchi scored his 100th goal for Lazio with just two minutes of normal time left on the clock at the Stadio San Elia to take his side to third spot in the table on 18 points.
