Bologna mark a new club record with their seventh consecutive home win and join Chievo in fourth place.

This match was a local derby and a battle for European Cup spots, particularly following Chievo's 3-0 win at Piacenza earlier today.

Bologna were forced into several changes due bans on Renato Olive, Leonardo Colucci and Marcello Castellini. Parma welcomed Sabri Lamouchi back from an injury lay-off.

The Rossoblu had the first chance when Carlo Nervo's turn and volley was blocked with some difficulty by Sebastien Frey.

Parma hit back when Adrian Mutu's free kick was scrambled clear and there was a suspected shirt tug on Daniele Bonera.

Soon after the Gialloblu somehow failed to score. Mutu's deflected centre slipped under Gianluca Pagliuca's body by the near post and rolled all the way across the face of goal before going out.

Bologna hit back as Claudio Bellucci's curling free kick shaved the crossbar, but on 20 minutes they wasted a golden opportunity on the counter-attack. Sebastien Frey merely parried Cristian Zaccardo's drive into the path of Thomas Locatelli, but the midfielder somehow managed to turn it wide of an open goal.

Parma eventually broke the deadlock in chaotic circumstances. Simone Barone's effort was deflected into the path of Adriano and the Brazilian hesitated before sliding it past Pagliuca.

Bologna were incensed and claimed he was offside, but replays showed that Michele Paramatti was playing the striker on.

Another Mutu curler took a slight deflection to turn it inches wide of the far post as Parma continued to push.

Bologna drew level just before the break with an intelligent counter-attack. Locatelli slid the ball through for Julio Cruz and there was little Frey could do about his left foot drive from ten yards.

Within 60 seconds the Argentine had hit the back of the net for a second time. Cruz was left unmarked at the far post to chest down another smart Bellucci cross and smashed in from roughly the same position.

Bologna appealed for a penalty on the hour mark, but Benarrivo's well-timed tackle on Cruz was clean.

Soon after Paolo Vanoli did well to clear a dangerous Mutu centre, while up the end Cruz ballooned a good counter-attack over the bar.

Three minutes from time there was controversy when Bellucci scored on the counter-attack, but it was disallowed for a very dubious offside ruling.

Bologna had several counter-attacks wasted in stoppage time with Nervo and Cruz blocked by desperate Matteo Ferrari tackles, but they still managed to grab their seventh home win out of seven.