Stulic Strikes Late to Lift Lecce Past Struggling Pisa
Key Takeaways
- Lecce secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Pisa at Via Del Mare
- Nikola Stulic's 72nd-minute tap-in proved the decisive moment for the hosts
- Pisa remain winless in five matches, deepening their relegation concerns
- Lecce dominated with 21 shots compared to Pisa's meager five attempts
Players in this Match
Lecce secured a vital 1-0 victory over Pisa at Via Del Mare, lifting themselves to 14th place with 13 points while leaving their visitors mired in 18th position on just 10 points. The narrow triumph provided crucial breathing room for the hosts in their battle to climb away from the relegation zone, while Pisa's struggles continued as they extended their winless streak to five matches.
The decisive moment arrived in the 72nd minute when substitute Nikola Stulic made an immediate impact. Lameck Banda, who had entered the fray just six minutes earlier, delivered a precise cross that found Stulic unmarked in the six-yard box. The striker made no mistake, drilling his right-footed effort into the bottom right corner from very close range to send the home faithful into raptures.
Lecce dominated proceedings throughout, with Riccardo Sottil and Santiago Pierotti causing constant problems down the flanks before their substitutions. Ylber Ramadani controlled the midfield battle, winning crucial duels against Pisa's Isak Vural and Mehdi Léris. At the back, Kialonda Gaspar marshaled the defense expertly, though he picked up a late yellow card as tensions rose in the final moments.
The statistics told the story of Lecce's superiority, as they registered 21 shots to Pisa's five while enjoying 51.4% possession. Adrian Semper in the Pisa goal made several crucial saves, particularly denying Francesco Camarda's header in the 66th minute and Lassana Coulibaly's close-range effort moments later. The visitors managed just one shot on target throughout the entire contest, highlighting their attacking struggles.
The turning point came with Lecce's double substitution in the 66th minute, as Stulic and Banda replaced Camarda and Pierotti respectively. The fresh legs immediately energized the home side's attack, with Banda's pace and crossing ability proving the catalyst for the breakthrough goal just six minutes after his introduction.
Lecce travel to face Como on December 27, needing to build momentum from this victory as they seek to establish a comfortable gap above the drop zone. Pisa host Cagliari on December 21, desperately requiring points to kickstart their survival bid before the winter break arrives.