Serie A | Lecce 1-0 Pisa: Stulic finally off the mark

Lecce have taken a big step clear of the Serie A relegation places after an important 1-0 victory at home against Pisa in an early six-pointed on Friday evening: Nikola Stlic finally claiming his first goal since joining the Salentini from Charleroi over the summer.

Lecce made three alterations to their starting line-up following last week’s 2-0 loss against Cremonese, bringing in Francesco Camarda at centre-forward, Riccardo Sottil on the wing and Corrie Ndaba at left-back. The hosts were without the suspended M’Bala Nzola and replaced him with Stefano Moreo. Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Isak Vural and Mehdi Leris were also called back into the starting XI. 

Click here to read more about how the team’s lined up.

Eusebio Di Francesco’s game plan didn’t get off to the best of starts when Medon Berisha hit the deck immediately after playing a pass out to the right wing seven minutes in. He was carried off on a stretcher and Mohamed Kaba was called in to replace him after just 10 minutes. 

It was Lecce with the larger share of the attacks in the first half: Santiago Pierotti with the best opportunity after a cut-back from Riccardo Sottil on the byline. 

The hosts also troubled Pisa from set-pieces in the first half. There were two close efforts from the same corner half an hour in, before Tiago Gabriel managed to head off target from just a few yards out before the interval. 

In the end, it was Eusebio Di Francesco’s second-half substitutes that made the difference. Lameck Banda, on for Pierotti, carried the ball down the left flank and almost to the byline before cutting back for Stulic to tap home: His first Serie A goal on his 14th outing.

Lecce 1-0 Pisa 

Stulic 72’