SAMPDORIA overcame Palermo on Sunday to continue their push for top-six finish in Serie A, despite being guaranteed a UEFA Cup spot next season thanks to Roma's qualification for the Coppa Italia final in mid-week.

Second-half goals from Antonio Cassano and Cristian Maggio saw off the challenge of a Palermo side with nothing left to play for this season, and ensured Walter Mazzarri's side bounced back from a 3-0 defeat last time out in the league.

Mazzarri had urged his players not to be complacent in their final league games now the goal of European qualification has been achieved, and they set about giving as good as they got as Palermo came out determined in front of their home fans.

It was the Blucerchiati who forced the first real chance of the game after eight minutes when Federico Balzaretti chose to leave Cassano's cross, and the ball fell to Maggio who should have done better than shoot tamely straight at Federico Agliardi in the Palermo goal.

Following that let-off Balzaretti made amends for his gaffe when he forced a save out of Antonio Mirante from outside the box with 21 minutes played.

Four minutes later the home side went close again when star striker Amauri set up Bosko Jankovic, but the Serbian just missed the target with a right-footed effort.

Sampdoria responded with the last chance of the half when six minutes prior to the break Cassano set up Claudio Bellucci with a clever touch, but the Italian forward managed to send his shot narrowly wide.

It took a while for the game to get going again in the second half, but when it did 12 minutes after the break Amauri produced a moment of individual brilliance to shock the visitors when he took on the Sampdoria defence before firing a shot against Mirante's arm and out for a corner.

That fired Sampdoria into life and four minutes later they took the lead. A free-kick 35 yards out seemed to be of little threat until Cassano stepped up to drive a perfect shot straight into the corner of the net.

Fabrizio Miccoli tried to copy Cassano's feat after 65 minutes, but could only drive his effort into the wall.

Then before the hosts could threaten again Maggio struck the killer blow 14 minutes from time, when the Italian climbed higher than anyone else to head home from a corner.

That goal sparked wave after wave of Palermo pressure, with Amauri providing the best chance to pull one back with little more than 10 minutes to go when he brought a brilliant save out of Mirante before Miccoli hit the post from the rebound.

Amauri and Miccoli combined well again during the final moments of the match, but a combination of sound defending and some great saves from Mirante meant there was no way back for the hosts and Sampdoria took what should prove to be a token three points.