Final score

24 September 2008 20:30

Inter
34' (2nd half) Cruz
Lecce
Referee: Mauro Bergonzi / Linesmen: Giachero, Comito / Fourth official: Marelli
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
46' Half time. Inter 0-0 Lecce.
45' One minute of added time.
44' Burdisso boots clear, denying Cacia a chance from Tiribocchi's inviting through ball.
43' Lecce break and Cristian Chivu gets a yellow card for bringing down Cacia on the halfway line.
42' Zanetti's cross from the right is blocked by Ariatti and we win a corner. Manicni's cross is cleared by Ardito.
39' Ibrahimovic's effort loses power as it pierces the Giallorossi wall.
38' Free kick to us at the other end after Chivu is brought down from behind by Munari.
37' Free kick to Lecce after Mancini commits a foul on Ardito. Ibrahimovic boots clear Zanchetta's ball into the box.
36' Tiribocchi turns on to a loose ball in the area but Cordoba is alert to the danger and makes a timely interception, conceding a corner.
35' Ivan Cordoba shoots way over from 30 yards.
34' Adriano pokes wide from just outside the area after winning a duel with Ariatti. His shot takes a slight deflection and it's a corner.
31' Zanchetta's bullet shot from distance forces a reflex save from Julio Cesar. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
29' Corner for Inter as Mancini's right-wing cross spins off Esposito. Adri's diving header from Mancini's corner is agonisingly over the crossbar.
26' Inter go close through Ibrahimovic. His majestic 35-metre free kick is over the Lecce wall and on to the crossbar.
22' Mancini's free kick is blocked and it's a corner. Benussi makes a punched clearance from the Brazilian winger's cross.
21' Ex-Roma team-mates Mancini and Chivu team up on the left flank as the Nerazzurri win a free kick.
20' At the other end, Adriano blasts a long-range shot behind for a Lecce goal kick.
19' Free kick to the Giallorossi about 35 metres from goal. Andrea Esposito's flicked header from Zanchetta's dangerous inswinger is wide of the far post.
11' Nice try Ibra. Using the outside of his right foot, the Swedish ace looks for the far corner with a cross-shot from the left.
9' Vieira overhits his floated pass for Mancini. Easy save for Benussi.
6' Patrick is back on the pitch with a plaster on his head, and José plays ball-boy as a moment of incomprehension between Cambiasso and Stankovic results in a Lecce throw-in.
4' We're momentarily down to ten men as Patrick Vieira receives treatment behind the Lecce goal.
3' Lecce captain Andrea Zanchetta heads clear Mancini's inswinging free kick from the left wing.
1' Welcome to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza for Inter-Lecce. It's milestone night in Milan.
1' Off we go at San Siro.
1' Before kick-off, vice captain Ivan Cordoba presents Zanetti with a commemorative plate to mark this special milestone.
1' Lecce (4-4-2): 99 Benussi; 6 Angelo, 2 Stendardo, 14 Fabiano, 16 Esposito; 8 Munari, 7 Zanchetta, 21 Ardito, 19 Ariatti; 9 Cacia; 90 Tiribocchi.<br> Subs: 1 Rosati, 5 Diamoutene, 10 Caserta, 11 Castillo, 18 Giacomazzi, 23 Schiavi, 25 Konan.
1' Inter (4-3-3): 12 Julio Cesar; 4 Zanetti, 2 Cordoba, 16 Burdisso, 26 Chivu; 14 Vieira, 19 Cambiasso, 5 Stankovic; 33 Mancini, 8 Ibrahimovic, 10 Adriano.<br> Subs: 1 Toldo, 9 Cruz, 13 Maicon, 18 Crespo, 23 Materazzi, 45 Balotelli, 77 Quaresma.
1' Javier and the Nerazzurri are out warming up as the Curva Nord displays a banner bearing the words: '600 matches, one great heart. Thanks captain'.
1' Zanetti, the third player to reach a sixth century of appearances for the Nerazzurri after club legends Bergomi (758 matches) and Facchetti (634), will wear a special armband with the names of all the teams he has played against since moving to Italy.
1' Captain Javier Zanetti is all set his 600th outing in an Inter shirt, while keeper Julio Cesar will be making his 100th appearance in Italy's Serie A.
1' Inter coach José Mourinho will complete a century of league matches at home without defeat if his team don't lose tonight.
Minute Text commentary
49' Game over. Inter beat Lecce 1-0 and move clear at the top of the table as Juventus are held at home to Catania.
45' Four minutes of stoppage time.
39' Julio Cesar gets down at his near post and keeps out Castillo's angled shot as Lecce come looking for a point.
35' Ibra tries to surprise Benussi and he almost does, the Lecce keeper blocking the Swede's 40-yard shot with some difficulty. Corner.
34' GOOOAAAAALLLL!!!! Who else but Julio Ricardo Cruz!!!!!! The Argentine latches on to Ibrahimovic's pull-back and slams home from the edge of the box.
30' Beretta responds by replacing Cacia with Caserta.
29' El Jardinero slices wide on the turn after collecting Ibrahimovic's pass on the edge of the area.
26' José brings on Julio Cruz for Cristian Chivu.
26' Mancini makes a darting run into the box. He weaves past two but his shot is blocked.
24' No goals here yet, but a roar rings round the Meazza as the scoreboard tells us that Plasmati has scored an equaliser for Catania against in Turin.
19' Ibra goes through on goal but Benussi is quick out to neutralise the threat. It's time we had a goal.
16' Esposito is shown a yellow card after a foul on Quaresma. Nothing comes of the Portuguese's right-wing free kick.
15' Inter close again. Maicon does one-two with Adriano but is dispossessed by Esposito with the goal gaping.
13' Quaresma is booked for elbowing Ardito.
11' Great chance for Inter at the other end as Ibrahimovic only just fails to head in Quaresma's trivela cross.
11' Daniele Cacia's weak header from inside our area is easy prey for Julio Cesar.
9' Lecce make their second switch, with José Ignacio Castillo replacing Simone Tiribocchi.
6' Lecce keeper Benussi beats Ibrahimovic at the far post and grasps Maicon's high right-wing cross.
6' Mario Beretta brings on Souleymane Diamoutene for the injured Angelo.
5' Cristian Chivu's left-wing cross is saved by Benussi.
5' The Brazilian defender is stretchered off, and Lecce have Diamoutene warming up.
4' Play is momentarily halted with Angelo on the ground after hurting his left leg.
2' Brazilians Maicon, Mancini and Adriano combine as the Nerazzurri make an attacking start to the second period. Adriano is thwarted by the Giallorossi defence.
1' Lecce kick off the second half. FORZA INTER!
1' Mourinho has made a double substitution: Maicon and Quaresma are on for Vieira and Stankovic and Inter go from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-4.
Zanetti
7.85
7.85
Cordoba
6.97
6.97
Adriano
6.62
6.62
Cruz
8.77
8.77
Stankovic
5.52
5.52
Cambiasso
7.62
7.62
Burdisso
6.4
6.4
Julio Cesar
7.9
7.9
Maicon
7.71
7.71
Vieira
5.81
5.81
Ibrahimovic
7.84
7.84
Chivu
6.16
6.16
Mancini
6.5
6.5
Quaresma
6.7
6.7
Average rating 7.02
2 shots on target 2
7 shots off target 3
12 fouls committed 14
7 corners 2
1 offsides 3
37:12 ball possession 19:12
Mourinho v Beretta

The two coaches meet in a competitive fixture for the first time.

Mourinho v Lecce

José Mourinho faces Lecce for the first time in his coaching career.

Beretta v Inter

Lecce coach Mario Beretta faces Inter for the 11th time after 1 win, 4 draws and 5 defeats. He has never won away to the Nerazzurri, losing 2 games (both 2-0) and drawing 3.

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

600 times Zanetti

Inter captain Javier Zanetti is poised to make his 600th appearance for Inter. The 35-year-old Argentine made his debut for the club in a 1-0 home victory over Vicenza on 27 August 1995. His 599 appearances are subdivided as follows: 429 in Serie A, 51 in Coppa Italia, 112 in European cups and 7 in other tournaments.

Julio Cesar set for Serie A century

Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar is set for his 100th appearance in Italy's Serie A. The Brazilian goalkeeper made his top-flight debut in Inter's 3-0 home win against Treviso on 28 August 2005.

Inter on target in 58 consecutive league games

The Nerazzurri have scored in each of their last 58 Serie A home matches, scoring a total of 132 goals. Inter last failed to score in a Serie A home fixture on the last day of the 2004/05 season when they drew 0-0 with Reggina.

Mourinho close to milestone

If Inter avoid a loss against Lecce, José Mourinho will complete a century of league matches at home without defeat. His 99 home games without losing are subdivided as follows: 35 wins, 2 draws with Porto; 47 wins, 14 draws with Chelsea; 1 win with Inter.

Lecce: one clean sheet in last 28 Serie A away games

Lecce have kept just one clean sheet in their last 28 Serie A away matches: on 12 February 2006 when they held Cagliari 0-0 in Sardinia. The Giallorossi have conceded 59 goals in the other 27 games.

Happy Birthday to... Fabio Caserta

Lecce midfielder Fabio Caserta, the Giallorossi's top scorer after three rounds of Serie A matches (2 goals in 3 games), celebrates his 30th birthday today. Caserta was born in Melito di Porto Salvo in the province of Reggio Calabria on 24 September 1978.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(18) draws(0) defeats(1)

MILAN - Milestones were in fashion at the Meazza as José Mourinho completed his century of league matches at home without defeat, Javier Zanetti wore black and blue for the 600th time, and Julio Cesar made his 100th appearance in Italy's Serie A.

But more importantly, Inter warmed up for Sunday's Milan derby with a 1-0 victory over gritty Lecce, courtesy of a goal from substitute Julio Cruz eleven minutes from time.

The win puts the Nerazzurri in solitary command at the top of the table after four rounds of matches as Juve were held at home to Catania.

Mourinho made two changes to the side that beat Torino at the weekend, handing starts to Stankovic and Cordoba and leaving Materazzi and Maicon on the bench.

A sluggish game came alive in the 26th minute when Ibrahimovic sent his 35-metre free kick soaring over the Giallorossi wall and on to the bar.

Lecce responded just past the half hour when their captain Zanchetta forced a good save from Julio Cesar.

Mourinho made two changes at the break, introducing Maicon and Quaresma for Vieira and Stankovic, later bringing on Julio Cruz for Chivu.

Playing with three centre-forwards and two wingers, the Nerazzurri poured forward and got their reward when El Jardinero met Ibra's pull-back and slotted past Benussi from the edge of the box.

Ibrahimovic could have made the result extra safe minutes later, his intuitive long-range effort only just kept out by the Lecce keeper.

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

Scorer: Cruz 79.

Inter (4-3-3): 12 Julio Cesar; 4 Zanetti, 2 Cordoba, 16 Burdisso, 26 Chivu (9 Cruz 71); 14 Vieira (13 Maicon 46), 19 Cambiasso, 5 Stankovic (77 Quaresma 46); 33 Mancini, 8 Ibrahimovic, 10 Adriano.
Subs not used: 1 Toldo, 18 Crespo, 23 Materazzi, 45 Balotelli.
Coach: José Mourinho.

Lecce (4-4-2): 99 Benussi; 6 Angelo (5 Diamoutene 51), 2 Stendardo, 14 Fabiano, 16 Esposito; 8 Munari, 7 Zanchetta, 21 Ardito, 19 Ariatti; 9 Cacia (10 Caserta 75); 90 Tiribocchi (11 Castillo 54).
Subs not used: 1 Rosati, 18 Giacomazzi, 23 Schiavi, 25 Konan.
Coach: Mario Beretta.

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi (Genoa).

Booked: Chivu 43, Quaresma 58, Esposito 61.

starting lineups

Julio Cesar 12 Benussi
Zanetti 4 Angelo
Cordoba 2 Stendardo
Burdisso 16 Fabiano
Chivu 26 Esposito
Vieira 14 Munari
Cambiasso 19 Zanchetta
Stankovic 5 Ardito
Mancini 33 Ariatti
Ibrahimovic 8 Cacia
Adriano 10 Tiribocchi

substitutes

Toldo 1 Rosati
Cruz 9 Diamoutene
Maicon 13 Caserta
Crespo 18 Castillo
Materazzi 23 Giacomazzi
Balotelli 45 Schiavi
Quaresma 77 Konan