Maccarone winner piles pressure on Palermo

Milan, Jan 7, 2017 (AFP) - A late penalty from veteran striker Massimo Maccarone condemned struggling Palermo to their first defeat of the year in a 1-0 reverse at Empoli on Saturday.

Palermo coach Eugenio Corini is the club's third this season having been appointed to help stave off the growing threat of relegation.

But three weeks after a dramatic 4-3 win at Genoa ended a run of nine consecutive defeats, the Sicilians sunk to a 13th reverse of the season that keeps them third from bottom and now seven points behind Empoli, who sit fourth from bottom.

Napoli, seven points behind leaders Juventus, host Sampdoria in Saturday's late game.

Juventus host Bologna on Sunday looking to stretch their four-point lead on second-placed Roma, who face a tough trip to Genoa barely five weeks after a shock 3-1 win over Juventus.

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