Roma have been unable to find a way past Serie A basement club Parma in a goalless opening 45 minutes.

The hosts dominated from the start and Gervinho saw a shot blocked before Daniele De Rossi fired over the bar when well placed.

Adem Ljajic had a great chance to give Roma the lead midway through the first half, but his close-range effort was blocked by a last-ditch Alessandro Lucarelli challenge.

Ljajic threatened again soon after with a strike from just outside the box that flew over the bar.

Parma felt that they should have been given a penalty on the half-hour mark when Antonio Nocerino was barged in the back by Kostas Manolas, but the referee waved away their appeals.

The dangerous Ljajic drilled another effort into the side-netting, while Seydou Keita saw a header saved as Parma survived unscathed until the break.