Serie A: Atalanta earn valuable point with late draw; Lazio tie Chievo
German Denis' last-gasp goal earned Atalanta a valuable point against Empoli on Sunday in Bergamo.
With both teams looking to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone, the visitors looked to be heading for an important win after Massimo Maccarone struck on the hour for a 2-1 lead.
However, Denis headed in substitute Urby Emanuelson's cross to earn the hosts a 2-2 draw.
Riccardo Sapponara had put Empoli ahead in the 41st minute before Alejandro Gomez pulled Atalanta level two minutes later.
Empoli headed into the encounter with just one victory in their previous six games.
Lazio 1, Chievo 1
Chievo striker Alberto Paloschi equalized 15 minutes from time to deny second-placed Lazio an important home win on Sunday in their push for Champions League football next season.
Miroslav Klose gave the hosts the lead on the stroke of half-time and they had chances to double their advantage after the restart but Chievo goalkeeper Albano Bizarri kept them at bay with some good saves.
The visitors got back on level terms when Paloschi's right-footed volley left Lazio goalkeeper Federico Marchetti rooted to the spot and the game finished 1-1.
The result left Lazio 14 points behind Serie A leaders Juventus but one clear of city rivals Roma, who lost 2-1 at Inter Milan on Saturday, while Chievo were 14th and 14 points above the relegation zone with six games remaining.
Lazio, who had their eight-match winning league run halted last week in a 2-0 loss at Juve, headed into the encounter looking for their fifth straight win at the Stadio Olimpico.
Fiorentina 1, Cagliari 3
Duje Cop ensured Gianluca Festa's debut on the Cagliari bench went swimmingly with a brace to down Fiorentina 3-1 at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
The former Inter Milan and Middlesbrough man has been charged with leading the Sardinians' survival bid and before kick-off they were 10 points shy of safety.
Eighteenth-placed Cagliari are now seven points away thanks to goals in each half from Cop and a last-gasp screamer from Diego Farias, while veteran striker Alberto Gilardino managed a late response for the hosts.
It was a third straight Serie A defeat for Fiorentina, who were unable to transfer their Europa League form to the league having reached the competition's semi-finals this week.
Genoa 3, Cesena 1
Genoa resumed their late push for a place in the Europa League places by beating 10-man Cesena 3-1 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Defeat at Palermo knocked the Rossoblu off their stride but goals from Andrea Bertolacci, Diego Perotti and Leonardo Pavoletti put them back in the race for a top-six finish.
Cesena, who responded through Carlos Carbonero late on, lost Ze Eduardo to a red card at the death and now sit eight points behind 17th-placed Atalanta and safety with six games remaining.
Parma 1, Palermo 0
Antonio Nocerino scored a first-half penalty to hand bottom-side Parma a 1-0 home triumph over Palermo on Sunday and keep their faint hopes of remaining in Serie A alive.
The Italian midfielder converted the spot-kick in the 22nd minute after Palermo's Massimo Gobbi brought down Andrea Rispoli in the area.
Parma were the better side at the Ennio Tardini stadium, with Palermo mustering just three shots on goal.
Parma's sixth win of the campaign has left the Ducale club 15 points adrift of safety with six games remaining.
Palermo remained in 11th place.
The visitors went into the contest after wins in their previous two games against Udinese and Genoa, triumphs that all but assured the Sicilian outfit of Serie A football next season.
Verona 3, Sassuolo 2
Luca Toni struck twice in the second half to fire 10-man Hellas Verona to a 3-2 home Serie A triumph over Sassuolo on Sunday.
Hellas lost goalkeeper Rafael to a red card in the 17th minute for handling the ball outside the area, but took a 30th-minute lead through Juanito Gomez.
The visitors equalized five minutes later when Vangelis Moras struck the ball into his own net in an attempt to stop Sassuolo's Simone Zaza from tapping in a Simone Missiroli cross.
Toni put the hosts ahead in the 63rd minute and the veteran Italian forward extended his team's lead eight minutes later with his 17th goal of the campaign.
Substitute Antonio Floro Flores gave Sassuolo an 89th-minute lifeline, but Hellas held on for their 10th win of the campaign.
The outcome in Verona lifted Hellas to 12th in the standings, 16 points clear of the drop zone with six games remaining, with Sassuolo three points behind them in 15th place.
