Lecce 0 - 3 United (382298581)

3974 fans braved the pouring rain at Via Del Mare. Gerry Wouters was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Peeter Kahar and Bünyamin Ilgazer. Lecce had chosen a strategic 4-4-2 formation. Starters: Oliva - Scognamillo, Chessa, De iudicubus, Papero - Olivucci, Gilli, Comparini, Ceneda - Reffgen, Gianninoni.

United tactics involved an interesting 4-4-2 combination. The following players had been chosen: Bosco - Puliga, Achenza, Arconti, Fiorito - Miele, Palmulli, Gelso, D'Amico - Cassizzi, Stillavato.

United's E. Puliga gave the visitors a 0 - 1 lead after 16 minutes with a superb strike from the right. F. Scognamillo of Lecce was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. It was a bad day for the usually speedy E. Puliga. The mud seemed to slow him down. Lecce's C. Gilli got himself booked for a foul. United's opponents know to be wary of A. Stillavato's speed, but it made little difference as he flew past the defence 36 minutes into the game. Only the keeper could stop him - and he did with a perfectly timed dive! Had it not been for one of the home defenders, C. D'Amico would have put United up another goal 37 minutes into the match with his audacious lob from the right wing. A good free kick by F. Scognamillo would have scored the equaliser for Lecce, had it not been for the dramatic save by the visitors' goalkeeper. It was 0 - 1 at the break. Lecce enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 52 percent of possession.

G. Oliva got a fingertip on G. Cassizzi's shot from the left 65 minutes in, and managed to keep the visitors from going up another goal. The rain made it hard for players like C. Gilli to show their technical control of the ball on this soggy day. After 80 minutes, a mistake by the home side's left defence allowed G. Cassizzi to get through. He outclassed the home side's keeper, adding another goal for the visitors. 0 - 2. The referee showed United's M. Miele the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. One of many good crosses from C. D'Amico on the wing was received and skillfully taken care of by G. Cassizzi, who scored for United. 0 - 3 85 minutes into the game, T. Arconti had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came P. De Bonis. United had most of the ball, with 55 percent of possession.

Most important Lecce player was R. Reffgen. However, F. Scognamillo made a disastrous appearance. The most dominating United player was without a doubt C. D'Amico. G. Palmulli on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 0 - 3.