Banda’s impact off the bench proves decisive, Pisa punished for a wasteful night at Via del Mare
Lecce claimed a crucial home victory by edging Pisa 1-0, securing three precious points in the relegation battle and moving six points clear of the drop zone. The decisive moment came midway through the second half, when substitute Nikola Stulic scored his first Serie A goal after a sharp move sparked by Lameck Banda.
The match began with an early setback for the hosts, as Berisha was forced off with a muscle injury after just 11 minutes, prompting an early reshuffle by Eusebio Di Francesco. Lecce still managed to create the better chances in the opening half, particularly from set pieces, with Tiago Gabriel wasting a golden opportunity from close range.
After the break, Lecce increased the pressure. Kaba nearly capitalized on a mistake by Akinsanmiro but hesitated at the crucial moment, allowing Pisa to escape. The turning point arrived with Di Francesco’s substitutions: Banda’s pace on the left stretched the visitors’ defense, and at the 72nd minute his low cross found Stulic in the box. The Serbian forward made no mistake, calmly slotting home to ignite the Via del Mare crowd.
Pisa tried to respond in the final minutes but struggled to create clear-cut chances, relying mostly on crosses that Lecce’s defense dealt with comfortably. The final whistle confirmed another vital home win for Lecce, while Pisa remained stuck near the bottom of the table after a flat attacking display.
Match Report
Lecce 1–0 Pisa
Scorers: 72’ Stulic (Lecce)
Lecce (4-3-3):
Falcone; Veiga, Gaspar, Tiago Gabriel, Ndaba (74’ Gallo); Coulibaly, Ramadani, Berisha (11’ Kaba); Pierotti (66’ Banda), Camarda (67’ Stulic), Sottil (74’ Tete Morente).
Coach: Di Francesco
Pisa (3-5-2):
Semper; Calabresi (46’ Raul Albiol), Canestrelli, Caracciolo (81’ Buffon); Touré, Akinsanmiro (59’ Angori), Vural, Aebischer, Leris (74’ Lorran); Moreo (59’ Tramoni), Meister.
Coach: Gilardino
Referee: Juan Luca Sacchi
Bookings: Calabresi (P), Tete Morente (L), Gaspar (L)
Red Cards: None
