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Serie A | Lecce 3-2 Monza: Salentini continue super start
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- Serie A | Lecce 3-2 Monza: Salentini continue super start
Serie A | Lecce 3-2 Monza: Salentini continue super start
Lecce continued their remarkable start to the season by beating troubled Monza 3-2, including a Lassana Coulibaly brace and Tiago Gabriel on a corner.
This was a pure relegation dogfight , although the Salentini had won their opener, followed by back-to-back defeats to Roma and Cagliari . Willem Geubbels , Omri Gandelman and Medon Berisha were injured. Monza picked up their first point of the season against Parma , but Jan Ziolkowski , Cyril Ngonge , Patrick Ciurria , Matteo Pessina and Idrissa Touré missed out, with new buy Exequiel Zeballos only fit for the bench, though Gustavo Varela returned.
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There was a tribute before kick-off to two young women recently killed by their former partners, so teenage girls lined up with the players, with red hand marks painted on their faces, and banners from the fans.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
LECCE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 13: Youssef Maleh of US Lecce battles for possession with Michael Folorunsho of AC Monza during the Serie A match between US Lecce and AC Monza at Stadio Via del Mare on September 13, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
It took just over three minutes to break the deadlock, as Ivan Ilic whipped the first corner of the game to the back post for Lassana Coulibaly's header.
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The second goal was a carbon copy, except this time the Ilic corner found the head of Tiago Gabriel in the exact same spot, with yet again very lax marking from Monza.
The visitors finally made an impact on 17 minutes with a triple opportunity, but Wladimiro Falcone parried from point-blank range on Varela and Jay Robinson, then Antonino Gallo threw himself in the path of Andrea Colpani 's follow-up.
It was only a warning, as Samuele Birindelli rolled across the face of goal from the right for Ricardo Mangas to tap in at the back stick.
LECCE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 13: Ricardo Mangas of AC Monza celebrates after scoring his side first goalduring the Serie A match between US Lecce and AC Monza at Stadio Via del Mare on September 13, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
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However, Coulibaly hit a fresh-air shot from a promising position, then did score on the follow-up move, prodding home the Danilo Veiga cross at the near post from point-blank range.
Varela and Robinson turned inches wide of the same post and Colpani's free kick tested Falcone in the space of a few minutes as Monza fought back.
LECCE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 13: Lassana Coulibaly of US Lecce celebrates after scoring his side third goal during the Serie A match between US Lecce and AC Monza at Stadio Via del Mare on September 13, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Mangas went off with a heel injury at the break, and Youssef Maleh's effort was deflected wide off yet another Ilic corner. Monza threw on new signing Exequiel Zeballos, who had been in talks with Napoli before leaving Boca Juniors for a different Serie A club.
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Paco Esteban also received his senior debut after impressing with the Lecce youth team, but Monza made it a tense finale when Zeballos on his debut fired a free kick hard and low at the near post, surprising Falcone. Lecce complained that Cutrone had blocked off Danilo Veiga to let it through and left Falcone unsighted, but the referee and VAR waved away appeals.
Lecce 3-2 Monza
Coulibaly 4, 22 (L), Tiago Gabriel 11 (L), Mangas 20 (M), Zeballos 89 (M)
