Early Stulić strike proves illusory; red cards, an own goal, and a decisive header swing a dramatic relegation clash on Matchday 20.
A chaotic lunch-time showdown at the Via del Mare ended with Parma claiming a vital 2-1 away win over Lecce, overturning an early deficit and punishing the hosts’ self-inflicted wounds.
Lecce struck immediately and looked in control, but the match unraveled after the break: Banda’s red card, a calamitous own goal from Tiago Gabriel, and a moment of class from Adrián Bernabé set the stage for Mateo Pellegrino’s match-winning header. To compound the misery, Gaspar was sent off in stoppage time, leaving Lecce to finish with nine men.
The hosts couldn’t have asked for a better start. With Camarda sidelined, Stulić stepped in and made an instant impact, spinning in the box and finishing clinically after just a minute to put Lecce ahead.
The turning point arrived in the second half. Banda’s reckless challenge on Del Prato was upgraded to a red card after VAR review, shifting momentum decisively. Parma pressed, and Lecce’s resistance crumbled through another mistake: Bernabé floated a harmless-looking cross, but Tiago Gabriel inexplicably headed into his own net to level the score.
Parma sensed blood. Bernabé then struck the crossbar before producing a pinpoint delivery in the 73rd minute, perfectly weighted for Pellegrino to power home a header and complete the comeback. In stoppage time, Lecce’s frustrations boiled over as Gaspar lashed out at Pellegrino off the ball and was dismissed, sealing a grim finale for the Salentini.
Parma walk away with three precious points in the survival race; Lecce are left counting the cost of indiscipline and errors.
Match Report
Lecce–Parma 1-2
Goals:
1’ Stulić (L)
65’ Tiago Gabriel (own goal, P)
73’ Pellegrino (P)
Lecce (4-3-3):
Falcone; Veiga, Gaspar, Tiago Gabriel, Ndaba (78’ Sottil); Kaba, Ramadani (79’ Coulibaly), Maleh (79’ Gandelman); Banda, Stulić (65’ Gallo), Pierotti (54’ N’Dri).
Coach: Di Francesco.
Parma (4-3-2-1):
Corvi; Del Prato, Circati, Valenti, Valeri; Bernabé (80’ Ordonez), Keita (63’ Estevez), Sørensen; Ondrejka (80’ Benedyczak), Oristanio (85’ Britschgi); Pellegrino.
Coach: Cuesta.
Referee: Marinelli
Yellow cards: Pierotti (L), Ramadani (L), Kaba (L), Del Prato (P)
Red cards: Banda (L), Gaspar (L)
