Hellas Verona recorded their first away victory of the Serie A season as they ran out 1-0 victors over Bologna at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
Samir Santos netted the contest’s solitary goal on the stroke of half-time to condemn the Rossoblu to their third straight defeat.
Chances were at a premium during the opening exchanges with Sergio Floccari’s miscued header from a corner the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock.
It was the forward’s error that almost allowed the visitors to take the lead inside 28 minutes when he failed to clear a routine delivery and Juanito Gomez prodded wide of the mark.
Gomez then interchanged beautifully with Giampaolo Pazzini on the edge of the danger area minutes later but his first-time volley flew wide.
They were soon rewarded for their superiority four minutes before the interval when Samir, on loan from Udinese, freed himself at a corner and arrowed a header beyond Antonio Mirante.
Roberto Donadoni sacrificed Anthony Mounier for Luca Rizzo at half-time as Bologna went in search of an equaliser.
Emanuele Giaccherini squandered a golden opportunity to restore parity when he nodded Adam Masina’s tantalising free kick over the crossbar.
The hosts were almost sucker punched as they began to crank up the pressure, with Artur Ionita freeing Urby Emanuelson on the counterattack but the Dutchman could not bring the ball under control.
Floccari succeeded in shrugging off the attentions of a horde of Verona defenders but the veteran forward could only clip his cross into the grateful hands of Pierluigi Gollini.
Franco Brienza spotted the run of Giaccherini in-behind the visitors defence but the Italian’s cut-back was intercepted by Matteo Bianchetti.
Gollini was called into action seven minutes from time when he parried Rizzo’s header to safety after the substitute had peeled away to the far stick and that would prove to be the home side’s last opportunity to salvage a point.
Bologna missed the opportunity to climb into the top half of the table while Hellas Verona closed the gap on Carpi in 19th place to six points.
