Serie A: Palermo 2 Lecce 0

Palermo climbed to seventh place in Serie following a 2-0 win over Lecce on Thursday, leaving Eusebio Di Francesco’s side second bottom.

Hosts Palermo started brightly and took a deserved lead 27 minutes into the match at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.

Referee Davide Massa awarded a penalty when Lecce’s Nenad Tomovic fouled Abel Hernandez inside the area, and Chile striker Mauricio Pinilla stepped up and beat goalkeeper Massimiliano Benassi to put Palermo ahead.

The visitors came close to an equaliser through Ignacio Piatti, who shot just wide of the post early in the second half.

But with Lecce committing men forward in search of an equaliser, Palermo were able to catch them out through a swift counter attack.

Hernandez was the man to make the result safe for the home side, finishing off Eran Zahavi’s pass following a fast breakaway to make it 2-0.

The margin of victory could have been greater, as substitute Fabrizio Miccoli missed a one-on-one with Benassi, before Hernandez and Zahavi were both denied by the Lecce keeper, all in the final 10 minutes.

Victory sees Palermo climb to seventh, just three points behind league leaders Juventus in a crowded top half of the table.

Lecce remain inside the relegation zone, one point off bottom side Cesena.