Serie A : Cagliari 2 - 0 Parma

Cagliari kept up their challenge for a place in Europe next season with an efficient win over Parma today.

Andrea Lazzari and Alessandro Matri scored the goals in the first half for the Sardinians, who posed a threat every time they went forward thanks to the enterprising play of Andrea Cossu.

The win lifts the Rossoblu up to eighth in the Serie A table, but they are only three points behind fourth-placed Juventus with a game in hand over the Bianconeri.

A win in that game, which will be played in Udine on Wednesday night, would see them move into the top four, a position which would be good enough for a place in the Champions League next season.

Cagliari began the game brightly with their danger man Cossu sending in an inviting low cross in the second minute which did not have any takers.

They had a goal ruled out in the third minute when the ball cannoned off Matri into the back of the net, but the referee had stopped play in the build-up to the goal for no apparent reason.

It nevertheless looked like being only a matter of time before the Sardinians did indeed go ahead as they were having a lot of joy down the left wing.

And that is where the goal came from in the sixth minute with Lazzarri cutting in and seeing his shot deflect off the foot of Cristian Zaccardo to beat Antonio Mirante inside his near post.

Cossu had the next chance coming in from the left, but from an almost carbon-copy position to Lazzari, his shot was pushed wide by a more alert Mirante.

Nene was the next to find room coming in from the left and, having beaten the offside trap, he took a bit too long and shot wide of the post while under pressure.

Parma finally responded after half an hour with Jonathan Biabiany getting round the back of the Cagliari defence, but Michael Agazzi cut out his attempted square pass to Hernan Crespo, who was making his second debut for Parma.

Francesco Valiani then hit the inside of the left-hand post with his 20-yard shot after Stefano Morrone laid the ball back to him.

But Cagliari only needed a glimpse of the goal to score and they doubled their lead five minutes before the break through Matri.

Once again, the danger came from the left, where Nene found time and room for a cross which was met by the Cagliari striker with a flick-header from eight yards into the far corner.

Parma set about trying to rescue the game with a more positive approach in the second half and Biabiany got round the back of the Cagliari defence for the second time in the 54th minute and Valiani this time headed just wide of the post from his cross.

Luca Antonelli had a shot saved well by Agazzi, who recovered well to deny Crespo on the rebound.

But the best chance of the second half came at the other end where substitute Joaquin Larrivey, with his first touch after coming on, saw his shot cleared off the line by Zaccardo with Mirante already beaten.

Jeda then missed the chance to put the finishing touch on a fine move by Cossu when he headed wide from seven yards out late on.

MATCH:

SCORERS: 6 'Lazzari, 39' pt Matri.

CAGLIARI (4-3-1-2): Agazzi; Canini, Ariaudo, Astoria, Agostini; Barone, Conti, Lazzari (26 'st word); Cossu; Nene (35' st Larrivey), Matri (17 'st Jeda) . (Vigorito, Dametto, Naingoolan, Nash. Coach: Allegri.

PARMA (3-5-2): Mirante; Paci, Zaccardo, Lucarelli; Zenoni, Valiani Lunardini (1 'st Galloppa), Morrone, Castellini (1' st Antonelli); Biabiany (17 'st Bojinov), Crespo. (Pavarini, Lanzafame, Dellafiore, Galassi). Coach Guidolin

REFEREE: Russo di Nola.

Booked: Lunardini (P), Conti (C), Bojinov (P).