Parma 4-1 Torino

Despite leading the game with fifteen minutes remaining, Torino managed to capitulate in extraordinary fashion and fall to a 4-1 defeat against Parma on Sunday afternoon.

With in-form winger Alessio Cerci suspended, Giampiero Ventura decided to line up with a new 4-3-3 formation - as Valter Birsa and Mario Santana came into the starting eleven.

The home side should have taken the lead after fifteen minutes, when former Juventus striker Amauri glided past Kamil Glik before blasting his shot over the crossbar. Torino were also creating chances, and they had a great chance to take the lead from a quick counter attack, but Rolando Bianchi failed to control Valter Birsa's fine cross.

On the stroke of half time, Amauri had an excellent chance to give Parma the lead - but his acrobatic overhead kick was excellently saved by Jean Francois Gillet. From the resulting corner, Amauri had another chance to open the scoring, but this time his header was cleared off the line by Danilo D'Ambrosio.

Ten minutes after half time, Torino took the lead when a piece of intelligent skill from Valter Birsa allowed the Slovenian to go past two Parma defenders before crossing for Mario Santana who tapped into an empty net. As they did in their last away game against Cagliari, the Granata had chances to extend their lead on the counter attack, and Rolando Bianchi was guilty of missing an excellent chance - although to be fair, he was denied by an outstanding Antonio Mirante save.

And once again Torino were made to pay for that miss, as with fourteen minutes remaining Amauri finally got his name on the score sheet as he converted a left wing cross. Toro were somewhat unfortunate in the fact that the player marking Amauri was Angelo Ogbonna, who had suffered a thigh injury seconds before the goal, which may have effected his ability to deny the former Juve striker.

Just two minutes later Parma completed the turnaround, when a horrendous piece of defending by Salvatore Masiello presented the ball on a plate to Nicola Sansone, and the German-born striker curled the ball into the bottom corner from fifteen yards out. Torino's self-destruction continued as they conceded a third goal soon afterwards, when Amauri was allowed to run with the ball for thirty yards, before firing the ball past Gillet.

In injury time, Torino's humiliation was complete when Parma scored their fourth goal, as Nicola Sansone skipped past Kamil Glik's challenge before picking out an unmarked Amauri who completed his hat trick.

Whilst for 76 minutes this was an impressive away performance by Torino, the way in which they collapsed in the final fifteen minutes was extremely worrying. Despite being eight points clear of the drop zone, if the Granata fail to pick up any points in difficult home games against Lazio and Napoli, then they could once again become embroiled in a relegation battle.

Forza Torino