Sampdoria 0 : 1 Parma - Zaccardo strike sinks Samp

Parma claimed a crucial win in their relegation battle with Sampdoria thanks to Cristian Zaccardo's second-half winner.

Massimo Maccarone missed a late penalty for Sampdoria, who have now won once in their past 12 league games, to continue their miserable late-season form that has left them just three points above the drop zone.

Parma's win moved them above Samp and four points clear of danger, although an otherwise good afternoon at the Stade Luigi Ferraris was blemished by Blerim Dzemaili's sending off for a second caution in injury-time.

Maccarone created the first chance of an evenly-contested first half when he shot wide from the edge of the area.

Parma threatened twice from the free-kick delivery of Sebastian Giovinco when first he picked out Gabriel Paletta only for him to head over before Carvalho Amauri was also off target when he latched onto another dangerous ball.

Daniele Mannini and Massimo Gobbi traded long-range efforts before the half drew to a close when Federico Macheda combined in a neat one-two with Maccarone only to be halted by Gobbi's well-timed tackle.

After the break Parma took control of the match with Giovinco and Amauri combining well before Luciano Zauri made a timely intervention and Francesco Valiani saw a long-range effort tipped over by Gianluca Curci.

Valiani lashed another ambitious effort well over before Zaccardo opened the scoring on 65 minutes.

Unsurprisingly it was Giovinco who supplied the cross from the left flank to set up Zaccardo to head home from close range.

After taking the lead Parma went back into their shell and should have been punished for their caution on 70 minutes when Gobbi felled Massimo Volta in the area.

Maccarone blazed the spot-kick wildly over the crossbar and while Samp continued to press in the latter stages they failed to find an equaliser.