Cagliari made a perfect return to their temporary home in Trieste as Mauricio Pinilla scored twice to down struggling Inter Milan 2-0 at the Stadio Nereo Rocco.
Inter's week spent blaming officials' decisions for their disappointing campaign ended with another controversial penalty call as Pinilla fired the rehoused Sardinians ahead midway through the second half before hitting the winner 15 minutes from time.
Cagliari have left the doomed Stadio Is Arenas to move back to the Rocco, where they closed out last season, but the 600-mile journey north east did not adversely affect their players, who now find themselves in the top half of the Serie A table.
Inter, meanwhile, drop to seventh on the back of a second consecutive defeat, with the prospect of Champions League, or even Europa League football for next season fading fast.
Udinese moved within three points of the Europa League places after Luis Muriel scored twice in a comfortable 3-0 victory at Parma.
Bianconeri coach Francesco Guidolin was worried about visiting the Stadio Ennio Tardini without his suspended 20-goal striker Antonio Di Natale, but Muriel allayed his fears with a coolly-taken brace in the first half.
Parma, who dropped into the bottom half of the table, were at a loss for ideas after the break and Roberto Pereyra compounded their misery with a third goal on the hour mark.
Guidolin's men are now eighth and can reach fifth place with a home victory over Lazio next weekend, should other results go their way.
Matuzalem spared Genoa's blushes with a fortuitous equalizer as Sunday's Derby della Lanterna with 10-man Sampdoria finished 1-1.
Samp were in no mood to do their city rivals any favors in their battle to beat the drop and Eder's improvised free-kick put Delio Rossi's men on course to follow up November's 3-1 derby victory and push Genoa closer to relegation.
But Matuzalem pounced on a mistake from Samp goalkeeper Sergio Romero, after Andrea Costa had seen red, to keep the Rossoblu within two points of 17th-placed Siena with six games remaining.
Catania's hopes of competing in Europe next season suffered a blow as they drew 0-0 at lowly Chievo.
In an even encounter, the visitors had the better opportunities to break the deadlock but a combination of poor finishing and Chievo goalkeeper Christian Puggioni making several fine saves proved their undoing.
Roma held on for the final 10 minutes with a man less to claim a potentially valuable 2-1 win from their trip to Torino.
The visitors twice led in the match - goals from Pablo Osvaldo and Erik Lamela sandwiching an equalizer from Rolando Bianchi - but were left sweating at the end after their Italy international defender Federico Balzaretti picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Alessio Cerci.
Torino could not make the most of their numerical advantage though as Roma claimed an important victory in their pursuit of fifth-placed Lazio.
Palermo saw their survival hopes suffer a setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Bologna.
Josip Ilicic gave the hosts a flying start at the Stadio Renzo Barbera with a goal after just five minutes, but Manolo Gabbiadini brought Bologna level soon after.
Palermo searched for a winner, but could not find one as they were left inside the bottom three, two points adrift of Siena and safety.
Bologna, meanwhile, can almost start planning for another season in the top flight given their 10-point cushion over the relegation zone.
On Saturday, Fiorentina got back into the hunt for a place in the Champions League next season thanks to a 2-0 win at Atalanta, who ended the game with 10 men.
The hosts faded after a good start and a penalty scored by David Pizarro gave Fiorentina the lead after an hour's play.
Marcelo Larrondo made it two 10 minutes later to seal Fiorentina's victory.
Atalanta remain in mid-table, but will have to do without striker German Denis in at least their next game against Genoa after he received a red card in the last minute.
Siena boosted their survival hopes and pushed Pescara even closer to relegation with a dramatic 3-2 win at the Stadio Adriatico.
Angelo and a Damiano Zanon own goal gave the Bianconeri a two-goal cushion at the interval, but Pescara launched a spirited fightback in the second half to level through goals from Mervan Celik and Eugenio Togni.
However, Siena bagged victory in a pulsating relegation battle four minutes to spare with Innocent Emeghera taking them out of the relegation zone and leaving their hosts nine points behind.
