Parma´s plight worsens with fifth straight defeat

Ervin Zukanovic’s fantastic free-kick secured a 1-0 win for Serie A strugglers Chievo away at bottom club Parma on Tuesday.

Ten-man Parma slumped to a fifth successive defeat on Wednesday, as Ervin Zukanovic’s stunning free-kick secured a 1-0 victory for Chievo at Stadio Ennio Tardini.

The result lifts Rolando Maran’s men out of the bottom three and above Cagliari, while Parma are now 12 points from safety at the foot of the table.

Roberto Donadoni’s men were playing their first match in front of Giampietro Manenti, the club’s third owner of the season.

The tension was obvious and the hosts picked up five first-half bookings, two of them in the space of five minutes for Daniele Galloppa, who was sent off after half an hour.

Chievo were comfortable with a man advantage and scored the decisive goal in the 54th minute, Zukanovic curling a wonderful 20-yard free-kick over the wall and into the corner.

The visitors should have doubled their lead seven minutes from time but substitute Ruben Botta scuffed his shot wide with the goal at his mercy after Riccardo Meggiorini’s low shot had come back off the post.