Soccer-Berardi overhead inspires in-form Sassuolo to Sampdoria win

(Reuters) - An overhead kick from Domenico Berardi secured a 1-0 win for Sassuolo against Sampdoria on Saturday that moved the Neroverdi within three points of seventh-placed AS Roma.

Jakub Jankto hit the post for Sampdoria and Sassuolo winger Hamed Traore had a neat finish disallowed for offside in the first half, before Italy international Berardi's inventive close-range finish put Sassuolo ahead on the 69th minute.

Roberto De Zerbi's side have won four games in a row and are now within touching distance of Roma, who travel to relegation-battling Cagliari on Sunday.

Genoa moved three points ahead of Ligurian neighbours Spezia and eight points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, a result that could prove crucial for their survival hopes.

Two substitutes made the difference for the hosts as Gianluca Scamacca scored a tap-in and Eldor Shomurodov curled a strike into the top corner in the second half.

Bottom side Crotone's relegation would have been assured with a defeat by second-bottom Parma, but the Calabrians earned a stay of execution with a thrilling 4-3 win.

Lisandro Magallan's opener was cancelled out by Parma midfielder Hernani before Nwankwo Simy and Adam Ounas struck to give Crotone a 3-1 halftime lead.

Roberto D'Aversa's side launched a spirited response as Gervinho and Valentin Mihaila drew them level, but a Simy penalty put the visitors back in front and lifted Crotone up to 18 points, two behind 19th-placed Parma but 13 adrift of safety.

It was the Simy's 19th league goal of the season and his 28th in total in Serie A, a landmark that meant he equalled former Inter Milan striker Obafemi Martins as the highest-scoring Nigerian in the league's history.

(Reporting by Alasdair Mackenzie; Editing by Christian Radnedge)