OXFORD United rounded off their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 loss at home against Serie B side Palermo.

The Rosanero grabbed two quickfire goals shortly after the hour mark, as Dario Saric broke the offside trap, before Roberto Insigne netted from the edge of the penalty area.

Des Buckingham made one change to the side which beat Premier League side Southampton in midweek, as Przemyslaw Placheta came into the starting line-up.

Placheta showed some positive moments on the left during the first 45 minutes, with a couple of crosses into the penalty area not quite coming off.

The U’s had the first sniff of goal with 17 minutes on the clock, after good pressing from Tyler Goodrham saw him win the ball in the right channel of the box, but a great challenge from Palermo skipper Ionut Nedelcearu stopped Mark Harris getting a shot on goal.

At the other, a superb save from Jamie Cumming kept the match goalless, after good work from right back Salim Diakite led to his cross being powered towards goal by Filippo Ranocchia, whose stinging first-time strike was tipped away by Cumming.

A rapid counter-attack from the Rosanero saw Insigne, the younger brother of former Napoli star Lorenzo, break down the right, however Cumming thwarted Ranocchia, and then Aljosa Vasic had an effort blocked.

Three minutes before half-time, the best chance of the opening period was presented to Goodrham, who had the ball expertly pulled back to him by Harris, but the shot from the right channel of the area was dragged narrowly wide of the far post.

Palermo lost Vasic to injury in first half stoppage time, as Claudio Gomes, formerly of Manchester City, came on in his place.

United made a change of their own at the break, as Greg Leigh replaced Placheta down the left wing.

The Rosanero made a bright start to the second half, with Cumming required to make a couple of regular stops, before the visitors tried something different from a corner, but Ranocchia fired well over with his effort from the edge of the box.

Palermo took the lead though just after the hour mark, when substitute Saric broke the offside trap and powered home a lovely effort past Cumming.

The advantage was doubled not long after, as Insigne saw his first-time stinging effort fly into the bottom corner from just outside the area.

Palermo at this point were in the ascendancy, and Francesco Di Mariano attempted an audacious looping cross from the left, which had Cumming on alert, however the ball span narrowly over the back post.

Di Mariano was then at it again, breezing infield, but his right-footed strike sailed comfortably off target when he pulled the trigger.

A 25-yard-effort from Gomes was tipped wide by Cumming, with the corner threatening at the back post, but United were able to clear their lines.

Palermo continued to create in the final third though, with substitute striker Matteo Luigi Brunori thwarted by a low stop from Cumming.

As for the U’s, the real thing starts a week today when Norwich City arrive for the opening game of the Sky Bet Championship season.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Cumming; Kioso (Long 77), Moore, Brown, Bennett; Rodrigues (O’Donkor 77), Vaulks (McEachran 77), Brannagan; Goodrham (Sibley 63), Harris (El Mizouni 83), Placheta (Leigh 46).

Unused subs: Ingram, McGuane, Currie, Thorniley.

Booked: None.

Palermo (4-2-3-1): Gomis (Nespola 46); Diakite (Buttaro 59), Nedelcearu (Graves 65), Nikolaou (Ceccaroni 65), Lund (Pierozzi 59); Blin (Damiani 83), Ranocchia (Saric 59); Insigne (Peda 76), Vasic (Gomes 45+1), Di Francesco (Di Mariano 46); Henry (Brunori 59).

Unused subs: Cutrona, Corona.

Booked: None.

Referee: Matt Donohue (Manchester).

Attendance: 3,539 (320 visitors).