Palermo kept up their push for a Champions League place with a comfortable victory over Serie A strugglers Lazio.

The Rosanero were hammered 4-1 at Roma last time out, but showed no signs of damaged confidence as they got the opener within a minute through Abel Hernandez.

Fabrizio Miccoli added a second from the spot midway through the first half and Antonio Nocerino made it 3-0 after 75 minutes.

Aleksandar Kolarov pulled one back three minutes later for Lazio, who got their first away win in six months last weekend but never had much of a chance of repeating the feat today from the moment they fell behind almost before they had had time to blink.

Nocerino picked out Hernandez with a great pass and the Uruguayan controlled on the edge of the area, beat Kolarov and struck low past Fernando Muslera into the corner.

After 15 minutes, Hernandez tried his luck again, this time from 25 yards, but his effort went wide.

Muslera then handed Palermo the chance for number two when he fouled Miccoli in the area after 28 minutes.

The keeper was given only a yellow card but could do nothing about the penalty, which Miccoli dispatched into the bottom left corner.

Lazio were grateful to Stephan Lichtsteiner for keeping them in the game five minutes before the break.

The Swiss got in a crucial tackle to deny Hernandez after Miccoli's cross had put him in.

After the break the Romans showed a little more in attack, with Stefano Mauri showing the way in terms of intent, if not execution.

The midfielder tried his luck from distance after 53 minutes and the pall edged past the right-hand post, then a minute later sent a shot over the bar from the edge of the box.

And it was not just Mauri who was struggling to find the target.

After 64 minutes, Mauro Zarate played in Matuzalem, but the Brazilian sent the ball wide from 15 yards.

And hopes of a Lazio comeback disappeared 15 minutes from time when Palermo grabbed a third.

Hernandez was involved again, playing a ball through which substitute Igor Budan, in an offside position, could not touch, but Nocerino latched on to and finished from close range.

Three minutes later Lazio finally found their shooting boots.

Kolarov unleashed a great left-foot shot to beat Salvatore Sirigu low at the left post.

But it was too late by then for Lazio to salvage anything from the game, leaving them with just one win from their last seven Serie A games.

Palermo, meanwhile, remain unbeaten at the Stadio Renzo Barbera, their home form keeping them in touch with the Champions League places.