Parma 3 : 0 Cagliari - Parma close in on safety

Parma took a stride away from the Serie A relegation zone thanks to a 3-0 win over Cagliari, who sit just four points above the bottom three with five games remaining.

Sebastian Giovinco was the orchestrator of Parma's win with the opening goal in the 24th minute and a hand in all of Parma's attacks.

The home side's second and third goals both came from the penalty spot, with Sergio Floccari scoring the first in the 73rd minute and Stefano Okaka wrapping up victory in the last minute.

Cagliari could have no complaints about the defeat, or the margin of it, after failing to test Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante even once on a disappointing afternoon at the Stadio Tardini.

Giovinco started his one-man show in the 16th minute when he latched on to a long ball into the penalty area which Davide Astori let slide under his foot, but after nudging the ball to the left of Michael Agazzi, he lifted his shot over the crossbar.

In the 24th minute, Giovinco took a more difficult chance with a direct free-kick from 20 yards which took a telling deflection off Francesco Pisano on its way past Agazzi.

Floccari and Giovinco did not seem to want to score in the 53rd minute when they played the ball across the face of goal twice, with Agazzi finally foiling the danger by diving at the feet of Giovinco.

Parma emphasised their control of the game in the 73rd minute when Radja Nainggolan stuck out a leg to foul Jonathan inside the penalty area.

Floccari stepped up to send Agazzi the wrong way and give the home side a two-goal cushion.

And that became three in the last minute when Agazzi pulled down Okaka inside the penalty area.

After a delay while the Cagliari goalkeeper received treatment, he stepped up to see Okaka flash the penalty past him and seal a comfortable win for Roberto Donadoni's side.