After the first leg in Reggio Calabria had ended goalless, the win was enough to secure top-flight football next season for Serie A's only southern club and send Bergamo side Atalanta back to Serie B after three seasons in the top division.

Atalanta went ahead in the 18th minute when defender Cesare Natali fired in a low shot from a corner but Reggina pulled level in the 33rd minute when Francesco Cozza squeezed a shot over Atalanta keeper Massimo Taibi.

A 1-1 draw would have been enough for Reggina to secure an away-goals win a

But, against the run of play, Bonazzoli, on loan from Parma, made survival safe with a left-foot strike five minutes from the end.

.The playoff was needed after the two teams finished level on points as goal difference is not taken into account in the Italian league.

Torino, Como and Piacenza had already been relegated from Serie A while Sampdoria and Siena have won two of the four promotion places from Serie B.