Catania 2 - 0 Palermo - Home comfort ahead of winter break for Catania

Catania tasted victory on their last appearance at home in 2011 as they eased past Palermo 2-0.

The meeting with Devis Mangia's men was Catania's last fixture at Stadio Angelo Massimino this year, and goals from Francesco Lodi and Maxi Lopez ensured they marked it with a first win in four.

They were met with little resistence from their visitors, who will be ruing the missing the chance to break into the top six with a win.

The Rossazzurri were in no mood to be denied, though, and set the tone by creating the first chance of the afternoon on four minutes, with Giovanni Marchese hitting wide from outside the box.

Giuseppe Bellusci then took aim from long range, before Edgar Alvarez tested home keeper Mariano Andujar with a fizzing effort.

Catania continued to press, with Lodi and Sergio Almiron failing to find the target, before Lodi did in the 32nd minute, leaving Francesco Benussi with little chance with a free-kick from the edge of the area.

Palermo hit back with Nicolas Bertolo working Andujar from close out, while Catania would have made it two before the break had Benussi not denied Pablo Barrientos.

Matias Silvestre hit wildly over from 35 yards as Palermo looked to start the second half with a bang, but the wind was quickly taken out of their sails by a second home goal, this time from the spot.

Silvestre, a former Catania captain, brought down Lopez in the 61st minute and the striker did the rest from 12 yards.

That was the end of Palermo's challenge and, although Mauricio Pinilla had two late efforts, they rarely looked like making a game of it beyond Lopez's goal.