US Lecce vs AC Monza

Lecce raced out of the blocks at Via del Mare, needing just three minutes to open the scoring and never really letting Monza back into it despite a nervy finish. It was a blistering start from the hosts that set the tone for the whole afternoon. Lassana Coulibaly got things going with an early header from a corner, and Tiago Gabriel doubled the lead soon after with another set-piece header. Ricardo Mangas pulled one back for the visitors from close range, but Coulibaly restored the two-goal cushion before the break with a deflected effort. Cheikh N'Dri picked up a first-half booking, and late drama arrived when debutant Exequiel Zeballos curled in a free kick that Lecce protested, unsuccessfully, as offside interference at the wall. The result kept Lecce unbeaten and climbing the table under Eusebio Di Francesco, a big early-season statement after their fast start. For Monza and coach Ivan Jurić, it was a third loss in four games, another reminder of defensive issues that need fixing fast.