<p>ROME — Claudio Ranieri’s halftime substitutions paid off in a 3-1 win over Hellas Verona in a midtable Serie A clash on Saturday.</p>
<p>After Darko Lazovic put Verona ahead early from a free kick, Ranieri made three changes during the break and two of the players he sent on — Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde — helped set up an equalizer from Jakub Jankto.</p>
<p>Candreva and Keita were at it again to draw a foul that led to a penalty kick converted by Manolo Gabbiadini, the other halftime sub. </p>
<p>Morten Thorsby then added another for 10th-place Samp, which moved within two points of ninth-place Verona.</p>
<p>“Verona were more determined at the beginning and I had to make changes, because we were basically playing into Verona’s hands and not doing what we had prepared during the week,” Ranieri said.</p>
<p>A halftime substitute also made a major impact in Sassuolo’s 3-1 comeback win over Fiorentina as Domenico Berardi converted two penalties after he came on.</p>
<p>Giacomo Bonaventura had put Fiorentina ahead before Berardi responded after the break and Maxime Lopez added another for Sassuolo, which is eighth.</p>
<p>Fiorentina, which is just two places above the drop zone, did not speak with media after the game.</p>
<p>RELEGATION ZONE</p>
<p>Crotone striker Simeon Tochukwu, known as “Simy,” converted a penalty for his 17th goal of the season but the last-place Calabrian club lost 2-1 at home to Udinese.</p>
<p>Rodrigo De Paul scored twice for Udinese but also received a direct red card for a foul in the 90th.</p>
<p>Also, Cagliari beat Parma 4-3 with an injury-time winner from Alberto Cerri in a matchup of the other two clubs in the relegation zone.</p>
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