Final score

7 February 2009 18:00

Lecce
Inter
37' (2nd half) Stankovic
27' (2nd half) Figo
12' Ibrahimovic
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento / Linesmen: Ghiandai, Giordano / Fourth official: Peruzzo
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
45' Half time. Inter lead Lecce by a goal to nil.
45' Ibrahimovic close to a second with a left-foot shot that goes a yard wide of Benussi's left-hand post.
41' Cambiasso tests Benussi with a well struck effort from 25 yards.
37' Ibrahimovic is yellow-carded for diving in the Lecce box, but it looked like a penalty foul by Stendardo.
37' Ibrahimovic controls a square pass from Muntari and fires wide from 20 metres.
34' Lecce hit straight back and Tiribocchi curls wide from the left angle of our area.
33' Benussi beats Stankovic to a Figo right-wing cross to deny the Serbian a sure second.
32' Stankovic squeezes between two in midfield and thumps upfield into the path of Ibrahimovic but Lecce keeper Benussi gets there first.
27' Muntari has a go from distance. The Ghana midfielder's effort is high over Benussi's bar.
21' Caserta is lucky to escape without caution after a late challenge on Ibra.
20' Tiribocchi hooks over his shot on the turn from the edge of our box.
19' Papa Waigo's effort from the second corner is wide of the target.
18' Lecce go close from the resulting corner but Julio Cesar pulls off a reflex save from Stendardo's header.
18' Another cross by Papa Waigo. This time it's Burdisso who makes a headed clearance.
16' Lecce win a free kick on the right wing. Papa Waigo's right-wing cross is headed clear by Ibrahimovic.
12' GOAL!!!! Ibrahimovic collects a short pass from Cambiasso on the edge of the box and rifles into the bottom corner for his 17th goal of the season. LECCE 0-1 INTER.
11' Tiribocchi plays a dangerous low ball in for Caserta but Julio Cesar is alert to the danger and moves quickly to deny the Lecce midfielder.
9' A good chance for Inter. Ibrahimovic swings in a cross from the right and Dejan Stankovic, totally unmarked, heads over from close range.
8' Tiribocchi fires wide from 25 metres as Lecce counter-attack after Ibrahimovic is thwarted on the edge of the Giallorossi area.
5' Lecce attack down the left and Tiribocchi whips in a cross from the left, forcing Burdisso into a headed clearance. Julio Cesar makes a tipped save from the resulting corner.
4' Muntari plays wide to Figo, whose cross from the right wing hits the side-netting.
2' Ibrahimovic rises in the Lecce box and heads behind Figo's inswinging left-wing free kick.
1' Welcome to the Stadio Via del Mare in Lecce for this evening's Serie A Week 23 clash.
1' The Nerazzurri kick off. FORZA INTER!
1' Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 16 Burdisso, 23 Materazzi, 39 Santon; 4 Zanetti, 19 Cambiasso, 20 Muntari; 7 Figo, 5 Stankovic; 8 Ibrahimovic.<br> Subs: 1 Toldo, 2 Cordoba, 6 Maxwell, 18 Crespo, 26 Chivu, 33 Mancini, 45 Balotelli.
1' Lecce: 99 Benussi; 3 Polenghi, 2 Stendardo, 14 Fabiano, 16 Esposito; 10 Caserta, 4 Edinho, 19 Ariatti; 35 Papa Waigo, 11 Castillo, 90 Tiribocchi.<br> Subs: 1 Rosati, 6 Angelo, 7 Zanchetta, 9 Cacia, 21 Ardito, 40 Giuliatto, 81 Papadopoulos.
1' David Santon makes his fifth consecutive start at left-back, with Materazzi returning in the centre of defence. Muntari is back in midfield alongside Zanetti and Cambiasso, with Figo and Stankovic behind lone striker Ibrahimovic.
1' El Jardinero, who went down with the flu during the week, misses the return clash. Mourinho has brought three strikers down to Lecce but two of them start on the bench as the Portuguese has named a Christmas tree formation to face Mario Beretta's men.
1' In the reverse fixture earlier in the season Inter beat the Apulian Giallorossi 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Julio Cruz.
Minute Text commentary
45' Full time. Inter beat Lecce 3-0 and move nine points clear at the top of the table.
44' Balotelli is booked by Tagliavento.
41' Mario Balotelli replaces Zlatan Ibrahimovic. It's the eighteen-year-old's first outing since last December's 2-1 win over Siena.
37' And now it's goal number three! Dejan Stankovic sends his flicked header from Maicon's right-wing cross beyond Benussi and into the top left corner. LECCE 0-3 INTER.
36' Substitution number two for Inter. It's Maxwell for Muntari.
34' Papadopoulos fires wide from a Lecce corner.
32' Caserta gets booked for a foul on Santon.
28' Mourinho brings off goalscorer Figo and brings on Cristian Chivu.
27' GOAL!!!!!! Luis Figo heads into the bottom right corner a brilliant left-wing cross from Davide Santon. LECCE 0-2 INTER.
25' Lecce sub Papadopoulos dribbles his way past Cambiasso, Maicon and Burdisso, but there's no way past Julio Cesar.
24' Beretta makes his third switch. On comes Cacia for Tiribocchi.
21' Lecce bring on Papadopoulos for Edinho.
17' Chance for Inter. Benussi is out quick to thwart Stankovic after a great pass from Ibrahimovic.
17' And now it's goal number three! Dejan Stankovic.
15' Zanchetta overhits his floated free kick for Tiribocchi after a foul by Santon on the Lecce number 90.
14' Javier Zanetti's deflected cross from the right byline ends up in the arms of Benussi.
13' Lecce bring on Zanchetti for Papa Waigo.
11' Maicon blazes over with just Benussi to beat after Figo's free kick spins off Esposito.
10' Tiribocchi is shown a yellow card after a foul from behind on Davide Santon.
9' Lecce momentarily down to ten men as Caserta receives medical attention behind the Inter goal.
7' Julio Cesar moves quickly to intercept Tiribocchi's pass for Castillo, denying Lecce a good chance for an equaliser.
4' Fabiano makes a headed clearance from Figo's right-wing cross.
2' Lecce's Esposito is booked after kicking out at Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
1' Lecce get the second half going.
Zanetti
7.19
7.19
Materazzi
7.27
7.27
Stankovic
8.26
8.26
Cambiasso
7.85
7.85
Burdisso
6.57
6.57
Julio Cesar
7.94
7.94
Figo
7.03
7.03
Maicon
7.25
7.25
Maxwell
6.41
6.41
Ibrahimovic
8.08
8.08
Chivu
6.39
6.39
Balotelli
5.99
5.99
Muntari
6.45
6.45
Santon
7.93
7.93
Average rating 7.19
2 shots on target 5
7 shots off target 6
26 fouls committed 11
5 corners 1
2 offsides 2
22:18 ball possession 27:24
Beretta v Mourinho

Inter's home win over Lecce in the first half of the season is the only previous meeting between the two coaches.

Details:
2008/09 Serie A Lecce-Inter ---- 0-1

Beretta v Inter

Mario Beretta faces Inter for the twelfth time in his coaching career after 1 win (Parma 1-0 Inter in 2005/06 Serie A), 4 draws and 6 defeats.

Details:
2004/05 Serie A ChievoVerona-Inter 2-2 1-1
2005/06 Coppa Italia Parma-Inter 0-1 0-0
2005/06 Serie A Parma-Inter 1-0 0-2
2006/07 Serie A Siena-Inter 1-2 0-2
2007/08 Serie A Siena-Inter 2-3 2-2
2008/09 Serie A Lecce-Inter ---- 0-1

Mourinho v Lecce

Last September's league win in Milan is the Inter coach's only previous encounter with Lecce.

Details:
2008/09 Serie A Inter-Lecce 1-0 ----

Disciplinary info


Lecce
Cautioned: Benussi, Caserta, Esposito, Giuliatto, Polenghi.
Disqualified: Giacomazzi.

Inter
Cautioned: Balotelli, Burdisso, Chivu.
Disqualified: Adriano.

Trip down memory lane

Lecce boss Mario Beretta made his top-flight coaching debut four and a half years ago when he was in charge of Chievo. It was on 11 September 2004 and his Gialloblu side played out a 2-2 draw at the Stadio Bentegodi with Saturday's opponents Inter.

Ardito poised to make 300th appearance

If he plays against Inter in Serie A Week 23, Lecce's Andrea Ardito will make his 300th appearance in an Italian league fixture. The 31-year-old midfielder, who made his debut in Pontedera 0-0 Sora (Serie C1) on 10 April 1995, has played 53 times in Serie A, 122 in Serie B, 47 in Serie C1 and 77 in Serie C2. He has played Italian league football for Pontedera, Como, Bologna, Siena, Torino and Lecce.

Tiribocchi in sight of 100th goal

With his goal against Siena last weekend, Lecce striker Simone Tiribocchi has brought his tally in Italian championships to 98 goals (20 in Serie A, 66 in B and 12 in C1). His scored first goal in an Italian league fixture back on 27 September 1998 in Savoia 2-0 Ascoli (Serie C1).

Double century for Stankovic?

If selected to play against Lecce, Dejan Stankovic will make his 200th appearance for Inter. The Serbian midfielder, who made his debut for the Nerazzurri in a 4-0 Serie A home win over Siena on 1 February 2004, has worn black and blue 140 times in the Serie A, 21 in the Coppa Italia, 4 in Italian Super Cup and 34 in European competitions.

Inter on target in 13 consecutive league games

The Nerazzurri have scored in each of their last 13 Serie A fixtures, scoring a total of 24 goals. Their last league match without scoring was the 0-0 draw at Fiorentina on 29 October 2008.

Mourinho and substitutions

Inter are one of two teams who have used all 66 substitutions after 22 rounds of 2008/09 Serie A matches. The other team is Chievo.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(11) draws(4) defeats(3)

LECCE - Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his seventeenth goal of the season, Luis Figo grabbed his first, and Dejan Stankovic got his fourth as a rampant Inter breezed to a 3-0 victory over Lecce at the Stadio Via del Mare.

The crushing victory sees Inter open up a temporary nine-point lead at the top of the table with AC Milan and Juventus still to play their Serie A Week 23 fixtures.

José Mourinho fielded a Christmas tree formation to face Beretta's Giallorossi, with David Santon making his fifth consecutive start at left-back and Materazzi returning from injury for his first start since last December's Champions League trip to Bremen.

Midfielder marauder Muntari returned alongside Zanetti and Cambiasso after a one-match ban, with Figo and Stankovic behind lone striker Ibrahimovic.

Inter took the game to Lecce and Ibrahimovic had an early chance before Stankovic headed over from close range.

Ibra gave his team a deserved lead on 12 minutes when he controlled Cambiasso's intelligent through pass and fired into the bottom left corner.

Lecce went close to an equaliser in the 18th, Stendardo rising at the back post to steer a downwards header on target at the back post that forced a reflex save from Julio Cesar.

Cambiasso tested Benussi before Ibrahimovic crashed wide from the edge of the area as the Nerazzurri created good chances to build on their lead before the break.

It was one-way traffic at the Via del Mare after the restart and Maicon incredibly blazed over, minutes before Stankovic was thwarted by Benussi.

Lecce's sole reaction was a solo move by their substitute Papadopoulos who ran into Julio Cesar after jinking past Cambiasso, Maicon and Burdisso.

With eighteen minutes left on the clock Figo found the bottom right corner with a stylish flicked header from Santon's pinpoint left-wing cross.

Stankovic celebrated his 200th outing for Inter in perfect fashion, nodding Maicon's cross into the top left corner to complete the rout on 82 minutes.

Lecce 0-3 Inter (HT: 0-1)

Scorers: Ibrahimovic 37, Figo 72, Stankovic 82.

Lecce: 99 Benussi; 3 Polenghi, 2 Stendardo, 14 Fabiano, 16 Esposito; 10 Caserta, 4 Edinho (81 Papadopoulos 66), 19 Ariatti; 35 Papa Waigo (7 Zanchetta 58), 11 Castillo, 90 Tiribocchi (9 Cacia 69).
Subs not used: 1 Rosati, 6 Angelo, 21 Ardito, 40 Giuliatto.
Coach: Mario Beretta.

Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 16 Burdisso, 23 Materazzi, 39 Santon; 4 Zanetti, 19 Cambiasso, 20 Muntari (6 Maxwell 81); 7 Figo (26 Chivu 73), 5 Stankovic; 8 Ibrahimovic (45 Balotelli 86).
Subs not used: 1 Toldo, 2 Cordoba, 18 Crespo, 33 Mancini.
Coach: José Mourinho.

Referee: Paolo Tagliavento (Terni).

Booked: Ibrahimovic 37, Esposito 47, Tiribocchi 55, Caserta 77, Balotelli 89.

starting lineups

Benussi 12 Julio Cesar
Polenghi 13 Maicon
Esposito 16 Burdisso
Fabiano 23 Materazzi
Stendardo 39 Santon
Edinho 4 Zanetti
Caserta 19 Cambiasso
Ariatti 20 Muntari
Tiribocchi 7 Figo
Castillo 5 Stankovic
Papa Waigo 8 Ibrahimovic

substitutes

Rosati 1 Toldo
Angelo 2 Cordoba
Zanchetta 6 Maxwell
Cacia 18 Crespo
Ardito 33 Mancini
Giuliatto 45 Balotelli
Papadopoulos 26 Chivu