Rome  - Lazio edged out visiting Palermo 1-0 Saturday in a game that the Sicilian guests ended with ten men at Rome's Stadio Olimpico.

Veteran Tommaso Rocchi came on in the second half to score the winner, deflecting home a low cross from Frenchman Mourad Meghni.

The win allowed Lazio to end a bad run that saw them notch two meagre points in five games. It moved on to sixth place on 27 points as the Serie A gears up for a three-week winter break after its 17th round.

Home striker Goran Pandev, at 23 minutes, livened up a largely tactical and evenly balanced game with a dangerous shot that met the right hand of a well-positioned Marco Amelia.

Rocchi, at 58 minutes, replaced an indifferent Mauro Zarate as the young Argentine failed to live up to the eight goals that make him Lazio's best scorer.

Rocchi immediately threatened with a high header and at 66 minutes tipped home Meghni's feed from the left flank.

A first serious chance for Palermo went begging one minute later as Mark Bresciano pounced on a loose ball but volleyed wide from an inviting position.

The dismissal of defender Federico Balzaretti for a second booking with 18 minutes left weakened Palermo's equalizing chances, which grew dimmer with an injury suffered by striker Fabrizio Miccoli five minutes later.

Leaders Inter Milan, with 39 points, have a six-point cushion over Juventus when they play a late game away to Tuscany side Siena. Juve on Sunday play in Bergamo against tough mid-table side Atalanta. (dpa)