Lecce Vs Inter: Late substitutes Mkhitaryan and Akanji seal 2-0 win at Stadio Via Del Mare

The weekend fixture lecce vs inter ended 0-2 at Stadio Del Mare as late strikes from substitutes Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Manuel Akanji decided a tight game. The result matters because it extended Inter’s unbeaten Serie A run and widened their lead at the top of the table.

Lecce Vs Inter: Late strikes and decisive substitutions

Inter’s victory was settled in the final quarter-hour. Henrikh Mkhitaryan broke the deadlock in the 75th minute with a side-footed volley from a half-cleared corner, and Manuel Akanji added a second goal seven minutes later, flicking home at the far post from another Federico Dimarco corner. The two late finishes followed a match in which Lecce defended resolutely and prevented a routine win for the visitors until the closing stages.

Stadio Del Mare: denied chances, a ruled-out goal and Falcone’s key save

Luis Henrique had an early controlled volley saved despite a heavy deflection, while Marcus Thuram and Francesco Pio Esposito both had efforts blocked or saved. Esposito’s glancing header was tipped around the post by Wladimiro Falcone. Seven minutes after the interval Federico Dimarco thought he had opened the scoring from Thuram’s low cross, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

Cristian Chivu: rotations, defensive changes and squad absences

Cristian Chivu made tactical changes after a troubling midweek Champions League night, rotating Stefan de Vrij into a back three alongside Bisseck and Bastoni. The manager’s lineup adjustments were influenced by a combination of suspensions and injuries: Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu served suspensions, and Denzel Dumfries and captain Lautaro Martinez remained sidelined through injury, with Martinez confirmed to have suffered a calf strain. Lautaro’s absence meant Ange-Yoan Bonny started alongside Marcus Thuram up front, while Francesco Pio Esposito — who had scored Inter’s lone goal in Norway — was available as part of the attacking group.

Midfield and wing-backs: tactical setup with Dimarco and Luis Henrique

In midfield Piotr Zielinski operated as the pivot with Davide Frattesi and Susic either side, and Federico Dimarco and Luis Henrique returned at wing-back to provide width. Dimarco’s deliveries proved decisive: his corner led to Mkhitaryan’s opener and his set-piece created Akanji’s header. Dimarco also reached a personal milestone, becoming the first defender to record at least one assist in five straight appearances across the last 20 Serie A campaigns (since 2006-07).

Lecce under Eusebio Di Francesco: form, lineup and survival fight

Lecce lined up in a 4-2-3-1 under Eusebio Di Francesco with Cheddira leading the line and Pierotti, Omri Gandelman and Sottil supporting. The Salentini’s recent improvement — four goals in their last two matches — had helped them climb out of the relegation places. Lecce occupied 17th on 24 points, three above the drop zone, after a vital victory in Cagliari on Monday evening in which midfielders Ylber Ramadani and Omri Gandelman both scored in the second half. That Cagliari triumph came one week after Lameck Banda’s late goal produced Lecce’s first success of 2026, producing back-to-back wins for the first time this term. Historically, Lecce had gone 222 minutes without scoring against Inter at the del Mare and were winless in nine league meetings with the Nerazzurri, with just three wins from 13 at home in the season so far.

Competition context: Champions League setback and Serie A dominance

Inter had travelled to Bodo/Glimt earlier in the week for the first leg of a Champions League playoff and were humbled 3-1 in sub-zero conditions at the Aspmyra Stadion on a plastic pitch north of the Arctic Circle. Bodo/Glimt were competing as knockout-stage debutants while Inter had reached the final twice in three seasons; the defeat left Inter at risk of missing out on the last 16. That European setback followed a run of domestic form that included six consecutive league wins, 12 victories in their last 13 top-flight fixtures and an eight-match streak of away wins. Inter sat seven points clear of second-placed Milan before this weekend and extended their unbeaten Serie A streak to 14 matches with the win in Lecce, increasing their cushion at the top to 10 points.

Statistics and historical context: xG, away form and records

Underlying numbers favoured Inter across the contest: the visitors produced 2. 15 expected goals (xG) to Lecce’s 0. 12 xG. The victory also made it nine consecutive Serie A away wins for Inter, with a clean sheet recorded in the last six away matches. Only once in Inter’s top-flight history had they recorded a longer run of consecutive away wins — an 11-match sequence between October 2006 and March 2007 under Roberto Mancini.

Note: a preview of this matchup was published by Jonathan O'Shea on 19 Feb 2026 at 09: 58 and updated on 21 Feb 2026 at 11: 31.