Lecce Blitzes Monza 3-2 in Frantic 21-Minute Serie A Thriller

Eusebio Di Francesco's Lecce dictated the terms of their Serie A survival campaign on Sunday, September 13, 2026, blowing past Monza 3-2 in a frantic 21-minute opening blitz at the Stadio Via del Mare. The victory lifts the Salentini to six points and gives them crucial momentum ahead of their upcoming clash with AC Milan. Conversely, Ivan Juric's Monza side remains rooted to the bottom of the table with just one point, leaving the manager with a glaring set-piece vulnerability to fix before they host Sassuolo next weekend.[1][3][6]

The match was effectively won in the air before Monza could even settle into their preferred 3-4-2-1 shape. Just three minutes after kickoff, Lecce midfielder Ivan Ilic whipped a precise corner to the back post, where Lassana Coulibaly rose completely unmarked to head the ball past goalkeeper Demba Thiam. Eight minutes later, the sequence repeated itself with devastating precision. Ilic delivered another corner to the exact same spot, and this time Tiago Gabriel provided the finishing header, punishing a static Monza defense to make it 2-0 and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.[2][3][7]

"Once again today, Lecce score three goals in twenty minutes, two of them from corners. A detail that certainly won't please the former Roma coach," noted OneFootball's match analysis, highlighting Juric's growing frustration on the touchline. The visitors did manage to punch back in the 20th minute when Samuele Birindelli rolled a low, inviting cross from the right flank, allowing Ricardo Mangas to tap in at the back post for his first goal of the season and briefly giving Monza hope of a comeback.[5][7]

But Monza's lifeline lasted exactly sixty seconds. In the 21st minute, Danilo Veiga drove down the right side and delivered a sharp cross into the penalty area. Coulibaly, finding space yet again, prodded the ball home from close range to complete his brace and restore Lecce's two-goal cushion at 3-1. The Malian midfielder's dominant performance—which included three shots, four tackles, and two goals—anchored Lecce's midfield and completely overwhelmed Monza's double pivot of Michael Folorunsho and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro during the decisive opening quarter of the match.[3][8]

Monza's attempts to claw back into the match were repeatedly denied by Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone during a chaotic first half. In the 17th minute, Falcone produced a stunning double save from point-blank range, parrying consecutive efforts from Gustavo Varela and Jay Robinson before Antonino Gallo threw his body in the way of Andrea Colpani's follow-up strike. Despite holding 60 percent possession and outshooting Lecce 16 to 7 by the final whistle, Monza struggled to convert their territorial advantage into sustained pressure inside the final third.[2][3][8]

The second half settled into a more controlled rhythm as Di Francesco's squad expertly managed their lead and absorbed pressure. Monza introduced new €4 million signing Exequiel Zeballos—who recently arrived from Argentine giants Boca Juniors—in the 64th minute to inject life into their stagnant attack. The 24-year-old winger finally broke through in the 89th minute, firing a low, hard free-kick at the near post that Falcone uncharacteristically fumbled into his own net, suddenly setting up a tense and unpredictable finale.[3][5][7]

The late blunder set up a nail-biting stoppage time, with Lecce pinned deep inside their own penalty area as Monza threw every available player forward in search of a dramatic equalizer. However, the Giallorossi's defensive wall held firm against Monza's desperate final crosses and set pieces. The final whistle confirmed Lecce's second win in four matches, erasing the sting of back-to-back scoreless defeats to Roma and Cagliari and proving their resilience in front of a passionate home crowd at the Via del Mare.[1][6]

For Juric, the defeat extends a miserable personal streak to 10 consecutive Serie A matches without a win, dating back to his previous tenure at Torino. With Monza conceding eight goals in their first four matches—including a league-high three from corners—the manager faces an urgent tactical rebuild to save their season. Lecce, meanwhile, have proven they possess the attacking firepower to survive in the top flight, provided they can maintain the ruthless efficiency that defined Sunday's opening 21 minutes.[1][7]