Inter Milan maintained their four-point lead at the top of Serie A and extended their unbeaten run to 11 games with victory over 10-man Leece.
Yann Bisseck headed home a free-kick just before half-time, before Nicolo Barella latched onto a Marko Arnautovic backheel to seal the win late on.
Leece’s Lamecka Benda then saw red for dissent in the 83d minute.
Inter had seen their lead cut to one point earlier in the day when Juventus secured a late win at Frosinone.
Kenan Yildiz had put Juventus ahead in the 12th minute, but Jaime Baez equalised just before the hour mark.
Dusan Vlahovic secured the three points with nine minutes of normal time remaining, as Juventus open up a seven-point gap on third-placed AC Milan, who were held to a draw at Salernitana on Friday.
Arnautovic was making his first start of the season for Inter, after an injury to Lautaro Martinez, and he told DAZN: “They know I am in a difficult moment, we speak every day. I started the season with an assist, but then I remained six weeks out.
“It’s been difficult to recover, but now I am getting close to my best. They see it, they talk to me every day, but it’s not an easy moment. I can only thank the club, my team mates and the fans.”
The Serie A continues over the Christmas period – unlike leagues in Spain, Germany and France – with games next taking place on 29 December.
Line-ups
Inter Milan
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Sommer
- 31Bisseck
- 15Acerbi
- 95Bastoni
- 36Darmian
- 23BarellaSubstituted forFrattesiat 89′minutes
- 20ÇalhanogluBooked at 30minsSubstituted forAsllaniat 75′minutes
- 22MkhitaryanSubstituted forKlaassenat 89′minutes
- 30Zopolato NevesSubstituted forPavardat 84′minutes
- 9ThuramSubstituted forSánchezat 84′minutes
- 8Arnautovic
Substitutes
- 5Sensi
- 6de Vrij
- 12Di Gennaro
- 14Klaassen
- 16Frattesi
- 21Asllani
- 28Pavard
- 42Agoumé
- 43Motta
- 44Stabile
- 49Sarr
- 70Sánchez
- 77Audero
Lecce
Formation 4-3-3
- 30Falcone
- 17GendreySubstituted forVenutiat 86′minutes
- 5PongracicBooked at 74mins
- 6Baschirotto
- 25Gallo
- 16GonzálezBooked at 15minsSubstituted forKabaat 45′minutes
- 20Ramadani
- 10OudinSubstituted forSansoneat 86′minutes
- 27Strefezza RebelatoSubstituted forRafiaat 64′minutes
- 91PiccoliBooked at 64minsSubstituted forKrstovicat 73′minutes
- 22BandaBooked at 83mins
Substitutes
- 8Rafia
- 9Krstovic
- 11Sansone
- 12Venuti
- 13Dorgu
- 18Berisha
- 19Listkowski
- 21Brancolini
- 23Faticanti
- 26Smajlovic
- 29Blin
- 40Samooja
- 59Touba
- 77Kaba
Live Text
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Match ends, Inter Milan 2, Lecce 0.
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Second Half ends, Inter Milan 2, Lecce 0.
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Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Mohamed Kaba (Lecce).
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Corner, Inter Milan. Conceded by Marin Pongracic.
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Attempt missed. Nikola Krstovic (Lecce) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nicola Sansone with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Lecce. Conceded by Matteo Darmian.
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Attempt missed. Marko Arnautovic (Inter Milan) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a corner.
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Attempt saved. Francesco Acerbi (Inter Milan) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kristjan Asllani with a cross.
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Substitution, Inter Milan. Davide Frattesi replaces Nicolò Barella.
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Substitution, Inter Milan. Davy Klaassen replaces Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
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Corner, Inter Milan. Conceded by Wladimiro Falcone.
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Attempt saved. Kristjan Asllani (Inter Milan) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Attempt blocked. Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Inter Milan) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Benjamin Pavard.
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Attempt saved. Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alexis Sánchez with a cross.
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Substitution, Lecce. Lorenzo Venuti replaces Valentin Gendrey.
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Substitution, Lecce. Nicola Sansone replaces Remi Oudin.
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Substitution, Inter Milan. Benjamin Pavard replaces Carlos Augusto.
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Substitution, Inter Milan. Alexis Sánchez replaces Marcus Thuram.
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Lameck Banda (Lecce) is shown the red card.