Torino on the up

Torino pulled clear of the Serie A relegation zone courtesy of a 2-0 home victory over Chievo.

Torino pulled clear of the Serie A relegation zone as a Gennaro Sardo own goal and an Alessandro Gazzi strike secured a solid home victory against Chievo. The hosts came into the match on the back of a five-match winless streak that had seen them slip close to the bottom three but looked comfortable as they picked up three points for the first time since November 11. Defeat for Chievo brings a juddering halt to their three-game winning sequence, and they are now just one place and two points ahead of their opponents in mid-table. Twelve minutes were on the clock when the hosts went in front, Gazzi's corner from the right headed into his own net by Sardo under pressure from Kamil Glik. Gianluca Sansone flashed an effort over the bar as Torino came close to adding a second two minutes later. The hosts did not have long to wait to double their tally, Gazzi's shot from the edge of the area beating Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino via a deflection off Marco Andreolli. Chievo looked toothless in the opening 45 minutes but began the second half with greater purpose, Perparim Hetemaj seeing a superb shot from distance well saved by Jean Francois Gillet in the 50th minute. Sardo nearly made amends for his earlier own goal when he flashed a header wide from a corner in the 52nd minute, while moments later Isaac Cofie drove over the bar as the visitors continued to press. The sting went out of Chievo's attacks as the half wore on, however, and in the end Torino's margin of victory might had been greater had Rolando Bianchi been more clinical with three chances that fell his way in the final half-hour.