Serie A: Atalanta gives hopes of staying up a boost with 3-2 win over Palermo

Ten-man Atalanta boosted their Serie A survival hopes with a 3-2 triumph at Palermo on Sunday afternoon.

Daniele Baselli put the visitors on their way in the sixth minute before an own goal from Palermo defender Sinisa Adelkovic doubled Atalanta's advantage shortly after.

Palermo's Franco Vazquez reduced the deficit before the interval but Alejandro Gomez extended Atalanta's lead six minutes after the re-start.

In the 56th minute, Atalanta lost goalkeeper Vlada Avramov to a red card after he brought down Vazquez in the area.

Andrea Belotti struck the resulting spot-kick past substitute goalkeeper Giorgio Frezzolini but his powerful attempt hit the crossbar.

Luca Rigoni made it 3-2 in the 68th minute but the Bergamaschi held on for a vital win, likely enough to see them safe.

The outcome in Sicily lifted Atalanta, who hold the last position of safety, eight points clear of Cagliari, who are 18th, with three games remaining.

Palermo extended their winless run to four games and have dropped to 12th place.

Atalanta, looking for their first win on the road since January 18, took an early lead when Mauricio Pinilla set up Baselli in the box and his diagonal shot beat Palermo goalkeeper Samir Ujkani.

Ujkani could do nothing as the visitors went 2-0 up after 17 minutes when Adelkovic headed an Atalanta corner-kick into his own net.

In the 33rd minute, Avramov kept out Andrea Rispoli's close-range header from Vazquez's cross but Palermo's efforts were rewarded before the interval.

Vazquez nodded Rigoni's cross past Avramov.

Palermo were unlucky not to reduce the arrears early in the second half but Atalanta defender Giuseppe Biava made a vital clearance from Rigoni's goal-bound header with Avramov off his line.

At the other end, Atalanta made no mistake.

Marco D'Alessandro spotted an unmarked Gomez in the box and he struck the ball past Ujkani.

Before the hour, Palermo fans could not believe their luck when Belotti's penalty hit the woodwork with Frezzolini already beaten.

Atalanta struggled a man down and Palermo took advantage in the 68th minute.

Substitute Mato Jajalo set up Rigoni in the box and he hit the ball past a helpless Frezzolini.

Palermo continued to press forward and went close to equalising four minutes from time but Giancarlo Gonzalez's close-range header went over just the bar.