Serie A | Inter 2-0 Lecce: Scudetto holders get first win

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Susy Campanale | Last updated Aug 24, 2024 4:41 PM ET

Matteo Darmian and a Hakan Calhanoglu penalty gave Inter their first victory of the season, adding to Lecce’s woes.

The Nerazzurri started their season with a 2-2 draw at Genoa and lost Lautaro Martinez to an adductor injury, with Stefan de Vrij and Tajon Buchanan also still out, but Piotr Zielinski was back on the bench as Mehdi Taremi got his first start. Lecce lost 4-0 to Atalanta, missing Mohamed Kaba and Joan Gonzalez.

See how it all unfolded on the LIVEBLOG.

The hosts took the lead within five minutes, as Taremi only glanced the Federico Dimarco cross, but it turned into an accidental assist for Matteo Darmian’s free header at the back post.

Another Dimarco cross was fingertipped away by Wladimiro Falcone, with Federico Baschirotto charging down the follow-up from tonight’s captain Nicoló Barella.

Benjamin Pavard just about cleared a dangerous Nikola Krstovic pull-back from the by-line, while Taremi missed the acrobatic bicycle-kick on a Darmian cross.

Marcus Thuram turned wide from a Barella pass after the restart and there was chaos on 54 minutes when Taremi pounced on a loose ball, was just about denied by Falcone and Kialonda Gaspar, until Thuram’s follow-up was charged down. On first viewing, it looked like a penalty for Inter, but replays confirm the referee was right that if anything Taremi fouled Gaspar.

Lecce were still in it, Krstovic’s header smothered by Yann Sommer, but moments later Gaspar gave away a penalty for dragging down Thuram. It was converted by Hakan Calhanoglu, maintaining his perfect record from the spot.

Marko Arnautovic almost scored with his first touch for Inter, nodding over from six yards on a Calhanoglu free kick.

Medon Berisha had Lecce’s best chance in stoppages with a daisy-cutter from distance that Sommer had to fingertip round the base of the upright.

Inter 2-0 Lecce

Darmian 5 (I), Calhanoglu pen 70 (I)

24-08-2024 19:45 MatchDay 2 San Siro Stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)

Inter

Lecce 2 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Matteo Darmian (Assist: Mehdi Taremi)

5' 31' Antonino Gallo 2nd half

60'

Lameck Banda Hakan Calhanoglu

69'

Match statistic

61 Possession % 39 11 Total shots 10 3 Shots on target 4 5 Shots off target 4 3 Blocked shots 2 10 Corners 6 4 Offsides 9 Fouls 12 Inter Lecce

Starting lineups

Yann Sommer Goalkeeper 95

Alessandro Bastoni Defender 28

Benjamin Pavard Defender 32

Federico Dimarco Defender 72' 15

Francesco Acerbi Defender 36

Matteo Darmian Defender 72' 20

Hakan Calhanoglu Midfielder 82' 22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan Midfielder 23

Nicolò Barella Midfielder 72' 9

Marcus Thuram Attacker 76' 99

Mehdi Taremi Attacker 30

Wladimiro Falcone Goalkeeper 25

Antonino Gallo Defender 6 Federico Baschirotto Defender 4 Kialonda Gaspar Defender 13 Patrick Dorgu Defender 17

Valentin Gendrey Defender 75 Balthazar Pierret Midfielder 85' 8 Hamza Rafia Midfielder 64' 20

Ylber Ramadani Midfielder 22

Lameck Banda Attacker 64' 9

Nikola Krstovic Attacker

86'

Substitutes

Piotr Zielinski Midfielder 11

Joaquín Correa Attacker 13 Josep Martínez Goalkeeper 47 Alessandro Fontanarosa Defender 12 Raffaele Di Gennaro Goalkeeper 31 Yann Bisseck Defender 16 Davide Frattesi Midfielder 72' 2

Denzel Dumfries Midfielder 72' 30

Carlos Augusto Midfielder 72' 8

Marko Arnautovic Attacker 76' 21 Kristjan Asllani Midfielder 82' 98 Alexandru Borbei Goalkeeper 14 Thórir Jóhann Helgason Midfielder 23 Rares Burnete Attacker 32 Jasper Samooja Goalkeeper 1

Christian Früchtl Goalkeeper 2

Andy Pelmard Defender 36

Filip Marchwinski Midfielder 10

Rémi Oudin Attacker 27 Ed McJannet Midfielder 50 Santiago Pierotti Attacker 64' 7 Tete Morente Attacker 64' 5

Medon Berisha Midfielder 85' 29

Lassana Coulibaly Midfielder

86'

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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