Fabrizio Miccoli's brace and Coach Davide Ballardini's debut for Palermo shocked Roma 3-1 in Sicily. It was a bad day all round for the visitors, who also lost Daniele De Rossi to a freak neck injury, but quite a debut for new Palermo boss Davide Ballardini.

Neither side was exactly brimming with confidence, as the Sicilians made their debut under new Coach Ballardini, called in when Stefano Colantuono was fired just one week into the season. Roma were held to a 1-1 draw by Napoli before this and travelled without the injured Francesco Totti, Philippe Mexes, Juan and Simone Perrotta, then lost Mirko Vucinic just before kick-off. The Giallorossi had won their last four meetings with Palermo.

Roma were unlucky not to take the lead after six minutes, as Julio Baptista's free kick cracked against the crossbar and the loose ball fell to Alberto Aquilani, but former Giallorossi goalkeeper Marco Amelia did well to smother from point-blank range.

Moments later Stefano Okaka went close, but the goal finally arrived at the end of a fantastic team move. Okaka exchanged passes with Aquilani to split the Palermo defence and get to the byline, then rolled back for Baptista to pass into an empty net from six yards.

Palermo thought they had equalised through Edison Cavani on 18 minutes, but it was flagged offside when he slid on to Fabio Simplicio's pass across the face of goal.

It was only a warning, as less than 60 seconds later Fabrizio Miccoli smashed a cracker into the top corner! The 'pocket striker' gathered from Simplicio in the D, took a step to put the ball on his right foot and cannoned the finish past a helpless Alexandre Doni.

On 23 minutes Cavani had the Stadio Barbera on the edge of their seats as Cicinho touched a goal kick on to his feet, but the chip was just inches past the far post! Then the Uruguayan threatened again and his angled drive brought a great save out of Doni. From the resulting corner, Doni again had to tip a Mattia Cassani volley from under the bar.

It was a very eventful first half and a deflected John Arne Riise free kick fell to David Pizarro, but the finish was off target.

The Roma defence shot itself in the foot as Simone Loria's backpass to Doni was too weak, so he raced Miccoli for the ball and after attempting a clearance, dived on to it with his hands. Miccoli was furious, as he felt this counted as a backpass, but the referee waved away the protests.

Miccoli drilled wide of the near post, but there was more bad news for Roma, as Daniele De Rossi suffered a freak injury. He went to head the ball and, when twisting, seemed to sprain his neck without contact with any other player. He was in visible pain and asked to be substituted for Matteo Brighi.

Just before half-time, Aquilani and a dangerous Baptista cross for Okaka threatened, but Antonio Nocerino also caused problems in the Roma box.

Fabio Liverani's free kick curled on to just the wrong side of the net, while Baptista's piledriver whistled wide on the counter.

A terrible error from Pizarro gifted Palermo with their second goal on 57 minutes. The Chilean's weak pass was intercepted by Simplicio, who passed straight away to Miccoli and the chip with the outside of his right foot left Doni stranded.

Luciano Spalletti threw on summer signing Jeremy Menez for Rodrigo Taddei, who was making his comeback after a five-month injury lay-off. Miccoli suffered a slight thigh twinge in the goal and made way for Davide Lanzafame.

Aquilani ballooned over from nine yards, though Palermo went closer as Mark Bresciano's left-foot volley from a chipped Simplicio pass squirmed off Doni's chest at the near post.

Cicinho aimed a weak finish straight at Amelia from Baptista's assist when totally unmarked. Less than 10 seconds later, Palermo made it 3-1! A splendid Simplicio through ball allowed Cavani to go round the outside of Christian Panucci and he kept his cool to prod a right-foot shot past the committed Doni.

Vincenzo Montella was even introduced, but he only managed a timid scissor-kick straight at Amelia and the Giallorossi seemed incapable of causing problems to the Sicilian defence.