Parma drop points in quest

Parma's pursuit of European football stalled on Sunday as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at struggling Bologna.

Parma's pursuit of European football stalled on Sunday as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at struggling Bologna. Raffaele Palladino secured the point with a 79th-minute equaliser for Roberto Donadoni's side, who had trailed to Nicolo Cherubin's strike just before half-time. The result lifted Parma provisionally above Inter Milan, who were in action later on Sunday, and into fifth place, and left Bologna precariously placed just clear of the relegation zone. Davide Ballardini's side started brightly, Cesare Natali heading a Panagiotis Kone free-kick inches wide and then lashing just over the bar from outside the box within the first 10 minutes. Parma then began to find their feet, Afriyie Acquah firing a right-footed shot narrowly wide and Ezequiel Schjelotto denied by a last-ditch tackle from Cherubin. Bologna goalkeeper Gianluca Curci was called upon for the first time midway through the first half, to keep out a Palladino effort which had looked destined for the far corner. Natali nodded another Kone right-wing cross just over the bar soon after, and was then on hand at the other end to clear an Acquah attempt off virtually the goal-line. Gabriel Paletta then sent a close-range header over for Parma and a Kone blast for Bologna went the same way, before the deadlock was broken just before the interval. Lazaros Christodoulopoulos produced the cross, and Cherubin was on hand to supply the left-footed finish into the bottom-left corner. Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante had to be alert to keep his side only one goal down seven minutes after the restart, making a smart stop from Archimede Morleo's header. Mirante's opposite number Curci then almost gifted Parma an equaliser just after the hour mark when he failed to take a routine catch, but Alessandro Lucarelli's header drifted inches wide. Bologna again could have doubled their advantage moments later as the game continued to flow from end to end, Jonathan Cristaldo's shot cleared off the line by Parma defender Mattia Cassani following good build-up play between Christodoulopoulos and Erik Friberg. Palladino fired a warning of what was to come in the 75th minute when his right-wing cross found Jonathan Biabiany and, although his effort was saved by Gianluca Curci, within five minutes the visitors were level. Biabiany this time turned provider, teeing up Palladino for a fine volley which found the bottom-left corner. Both sides had chances to win it through substitutes in the dying minutes, but Parma's Amauri wastefully shot over the bar when well placed and Bologna's Robert Acquafresca saw his right-footed attempted punched away by Mirante.