Associated Press

Bologna, February 4:

Bologna beat Parma 3-1 in a regional derby and continued to improve to ninth in the 20-team Italian Serie A on Thursday. Tomas Locatelli masterminded play and Andrea Sussi, Christian Amoroso and Claudio Bellucci scored for the home team at Dall’Ara stadium, lifting Bologna to 30 points, 20 behind league leaders Juventus after 22 rounds.

Bologna, which beat AC Milan 1-0 in its last match, has earned an impressive 17 points from its last seven matches. The 10th loss of the season for Parma left it with 22 points, and near the relegation zone. Sussi scored the opening goal in the 55th minute, beating two defenders and goalkeeper Sebastian Frey. Parma’s French ‘keeper helped Amoroso’s goal in the 66th with an untimely dive. Belluccci made it three in injury time off a heel pass by Locatelli. Parma got an 87th-minute goal by substitute Antonio Sorrentino and had one goal by striker Alberto Gilardino disallowed for a dubious offside position in the 64th. On Wednesday, second-placed AC Milan thrashed Messina 4-1 to move within five points of Juventus, which suffered a 1-0 home loss to Sampdoria. Inter Milan downed lowly Atalanta 1-0 at San Siro to consolidate third place.