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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.

LECCE, ITALY – DECEMBER 12: Tiago Gabriel competes for the ball with Adrian Semper of Pisa SC during the Serie A match between US Lecce and Pisa SC at Stadio Via del Mare on December 12, 2025 in Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

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, ITALY – DECEMBER 12: Nikola Stulic celebrates after scoring his team’s opening goal during the Serie A match between US Lecce and Pisa SC at Stadio Via del Mare on December 12, 2025 in Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Lecce 1-0 Pisa 

Stulic 72’

12-12-2025 19:45 MatchDay 15 Stadio Ettore Giardiniero - Via del Mare

Pisa Live 0 - 0

Player statistic

1st half
    33'
Arturo Calabresi Lecce Pisa

Starting lineups

30
Wladimiro Falcone Goalkeeper 3 Corrie Ndaba Defender 17 Danilo Veiga Defender 4 Kialonda Gaspar Defender 44 Tiago Gabriel Defender 29
Lassana Coulibaly Midfielder 10 Medon Berisha Midfielder

11' 20

Ylber Ramadani Midfielder 22
Francesco Camarda Attacker 23
Riccardo Sottil Attacker 50 Santiago Pierotti Attacker 1
Adrian Šemper Goalkeeper 4 Antonio Caracciolo Defender 33
Arturo Calabresi Defender 5 Simone Canestrelli Defender 14 Ebenezer Akinsanmiro Midfielder 15 Idrissa Touré Midfielder 21 Isak Vural Midfielder 20
Michel Aebischer Midfielder 9 Henrik Meister Attacker 7
Mehdi Léris Attacker 32 Stefano Moreo Attacker

Substitutes

93 Youssef Maleh Midfielder 25
Antonino Gallo Defender 14 Thórir Jóhann Helgason Midfielder 32 Jasper Samooja Goalkeeper 19
Lameck Banda Attacker 7 Tete Morente Attacker 11
Konan N’Dri Attacker 9 Nikola Stulic Attacker 13 Matías Pérez Defender 21 Christ-Owen Kouassi Defender 28 Olaf Gorter Midfielder 5 Jamil Siebert Defender 6 Álex Sala Midfielder 95 Daniele Bleve Goalkeeper 77 Mohamed Kaba Midfielder

11' 22

Simone Scuffet Goalkeeper 3 Samuele Angori Defender 10 Matteo Tramoni Midfielder 12
Nicolas Goalkeeper 6 Marius Marin Midfielder 36 Gabriele Piccinini Attacker 39
Raúl Albiol Defender 19 Tomás Esteves Defender 94 Giovanni Bonfanti Defender 26 Francesco Coppola Defender 47 Mateus Lusuardi Defender 8 Malthe Höjholt Midfielder 16 Louis Buffon Attacker 99 Lorran Midfielder 44
Daniel Denoon Defender

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

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