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Jerry Mbakogu missed two penalties as Carpi slipped into the Serie A drop zone after losing 3-1 to nine-man Lazio in the penultimate game of the season.
Had the Nigerian converted both first-half spot-kicks, last year's Serie B champions could have resisted an ill-disciplined Lazio side and held on to 17th place.
But Milan Bisevac, Antonio Candreva and Miroslav Klose scythed through a disheartened home defence to render the late expulsions of Lucas Biglia and Filip Djordjevic - and a late strike from the unfortunate Mbakogu - redundant at the Stadio Alberto Braglia.
With Palermo and Frosinone just below them in the final relegation places, Carpi went into Sunday's game in the driving seat in the battle to beat relegation.
They were handed an early boost when Wesley Hoedt fouled Mbakogu to concede a 12th-minute penalty, but the latter was denied by Lazio goalkeeper Federico Marchetti.
Lazio exploited Carpi's disappointment by scoring two goals inside nine minutes. Bisevac converted Marco Parolo's spilled shot in the 23rd minute and it was not long before Candreva combined with Felipe Anderson and Klose to double the Romans' lead.
Five minutes before the break, Mbakogu was given a chance to redeem himself from the spot when Mauricio handled the ball. Again, Marchetti was too good.
Carpi's bad day took a turn for the worse in the 73rd minute when German veteran Klose boosted Lazio out of sight with an easy finish from close range.
The late dismissal of Biglia for a foul on Simone Verdi offered the Biancorossi a glimmer of hope and moments later Mbakogu had his goal.
With six minutes left, the man from Lagos controlled Verdi's cross and turned the ball home.
Substitute Djordjevic lost his head and his place on the field on the stroke of full-time - the Serbian cut Gaetano Letizia down - but his departure came too late for Carpi, who were leapfrogged by Palermo.
Fabrizio Castori's men must beat Udinese next weekend to stand any chance of surviving.