Palermo's Javier Pastore battles for the ball with Antonio Filippini of AS Livorno Calcio during Sunday's Serie A match. (Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Fabio Miccoli scored nine minutes from time to give Palermo a 1-0 win at Livorno that takes the Sicilian club into the Champions League qualification places.

Palermo had struggled to find a breakthrough and Livorno goalkeeper Rubinho made a number of saves to thwart the team he left in the January transfer window.

"We knew it would be a tough game," Miccoli said. "We knew we would have to fight to get into the Champions League places, but here we are."

The win gives Palermo 46 points, putting it two points above fifth-place Juventus and six behind AS Roma in third. Inter Milan remains at the top with 58 and played Genoa later Sunday.

"The team went about its business in a serious way," Palermo coach Delio Rossi said. "We stuck to our plan and we are having a good period, not conceding any goals."

Palermo needed a shot from the edge of the area to finally find a way past Rubinho. Miccoli picked up a loose ball and fired low into the corner.

Earlier Rubinho had twice denied Miccoli and after halftime blocked efforts from Javier Pastore and Edinson Cavani.

Livorno then went close to scoring in the 73rd minute when Fabio Liverani cleared Dario Knezevic's header off the line.

Napoli slipped to seventh after losing 2-1 away to Bologna.

The home side opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Marcelo Zalayeta took advantage of hesitation in Napoli's defence and flicked in Antonio Busce's cross.

Adailton doubled the lead in the 12th when he floated a freekick over the defence and into the far post.

Leonardo Rinaudo pulled a goal back for Napoli with a far post header from Ezequiel Lavezzi's cross.

Also Sunday, it was: Atalanta 0, Udinese 0; Bari 1, Chievo Verona 0; Cagliari 2, Catania 2; Sampdoria 2, Lazio 1; Siena 1, Parma 1.