Torino 2 : 1 Cagliari - Torino earn vital victory

Torino took full advantage of Cagliari's woeful away record on Sunday to claim a 2-1 Serie A win that kept them in contention for a Europa League place.

Goals in either half from Omar El Kaddouri and Alessio Cerci set up Torino's win, before Nene grabbed a rare away goal for Cagliari.

The Sardinians have not won away in Serie A since February last year - a run of 21 games - and their arrival was welcomed by a Torino side that had seen their European ambitions falter after five defeats in their past six games.

Victory pushed Torino five points behind sixth-placed Parma, who have a game in hand, but are also winless in three.

Torino had to wait until the end of the first half to take a 1-0 lead into the break, despite controlling the majority of the first 45 minutes.

Riccardo Meggiorini shot over from range before Nene's turn-and-shot was narrowly too high.

Cagliari had the best chance of the opening half-hour, though, as Sebastian Eriksson narrowly failed to get a decisive touch after Francesco Pisano's run and cross from the right.

A 25-yard free-kick from Agim Ibrahimi was punched clear by Torino goalkeeper Daniele Padelli, but the hosts went ahead in stoppage time thanks to the skill of Cerci.

Cerci expertly created room to cross and tee up El Kaddouri to head in from point-blank range.

After the break Torino looked to kill off the game.

Meggiorini's long-range strike was only kept out by Vlada Avramov's athleticism while El Kaddouri shot inches wide of the left-hand post.

Cerci got the goal to make it 2-0 on 72 minutes - and a reward for his performance.

Giuseppe Vives' searching long ball created an opening Cerci did not pass up as he fired his shot into the back post with Avramov well beaten.

Cagliari did hit back with 12 minutes left, Nene heading in Francesco Pisano's cross, but Torino could have had a third late on when Nikola Maksimovic headed wide.