Parma have fallen three points adrift at the bottom of the Serie A table following a 2-1 defeat against fellow strugglers Cesena this afternoon.

Jose Mauri had the first effort on goal for the hosts, but his strike ended up heading inches wide of the post.

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They had the ball in the net soon after as Gabriel Paletta guided an effort into the far corner, but it was ruled out for offside.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead as Nico Pulzetti cut in from the left before bending a low strike into the far corner midway through the first half.

Parma almost levelled the scores at the beginning of the second half, but Cristian Rodriguez saw his header kept out by Nicola Leali.

The hosts finally equalised in the 76th minute when Emmanuel Cascione's back pass was missed by Leali, and the ball ended up rolling into the empty net.

With a minute left to play, Cesena scored a second as a free kick fell kindly to Alejandro Rodriguez, who blasted a strike into the corner to steal his side the three points.