Sassuolo 2–3 Lecce | Serie A | 17 May 2026

Result Summary

In a dramatic Serie A encounter at the Mapei Stadium, Lecce claimed a memorable 3–2 victory over Sassuolo, securing all three points thanks to a stunning last-gasp goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Despite Sassuolo dominating possession and territory for large stretches, Eusebio Di Francesco's side proved clinical on the counter, with substitute Nikola Štulić delivering the decisive blow to seal one of the results of the weekend.

Match Analysis

The game came alive early, with Walid Cheddira opening the scoring for Lecce in the 14th minute via a right-foot finish. Sassuolo responded quickly, as Armand Lauriente levelled on 20 minutes with a right-foot shot assisted by Pedro Felipe. The parity lasted barely five minutes, however — Cheddira struck again on 25 minutes, this time with a header assisted by Lameck Banda, to give Lecce a 2–1 advantage heading into the half-hour mark.

The statistics paint a picture of sustained Sassuolo pressure that ultimately proved insufficient. Fabio Grosso's side controlled 74% of possession, registered 117 attacks compared to Lecce's 73, and completed passes at an 86% success rate against Lecce's 68%. They also generated 12 key passes to Lecce's 7. Yet the xG narrative told a more cautionary tale — both sides registered 6 shots on target apiece, and Lecce's 8 corners to Sassuolo's 2 highlighted how effectively Di Francesco's side used their moments in dangerous positions.

A notable moment arrived at 28 minutes when a VAR decision was made involving Kristian Thorstvedt, though the incident did not alter the scoreline. The booking of Ylber Ramadani for Lecce on 54 minutes added some midfield tension, while Sassuolo's triple substitution at 63 minutes — bringing on Luca Lipani, Andrea Pinamonti, and later Cristian Volpato and Darryl Bakola — injected fresh energy. It bore fruit when Pinamonti pulled Sassuolo level at 2–2 in the 82nd minute, finishing from a Ulisses Garcia assist with his left foot.

With the momentum seemingly with the hosts, Lecce's bench responded decisively. Substitute Omri Gandelman provided the assist, and fellow substitute Štulić, introduced just minutes earlier, rifled home a left-foot shot in the 90+6' to snatch the winner in the most dramatic of fashions. A succession of yellow cards in the closing stages — for Danilo Veiga, Tiago Gabriel Coelho Oliveira, and Antonino Gallo — reflected the feverish tension of the finale.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match analysis projected a 1–1 draw, assigning the highest probability to an away Lecce win at 37%, with a home win at 34% and draw at 29%. The low confidence rating of 40/100 reflected genuine uncertainty, and the result confirmed exactly why. Lecce's win ultimately aligned with our most probable single outcome, though the predicted scoreline was off. The match demonstrated how Lecce's efficiency — 11 shots generating 3 goals against Sassuolo's overwhelming territorial dominance — can confound possession-based projections.

Key Takeaways

• Cheddira's brace in the opening 25 minutes set the platform for Lecce's victory and proved the difference despite Sassuolo's sustained pressure.
• Sassuolo's inability to convert dominance into goals (74% possession, 15 total shots, only 2 converted) proved costly against a well-organised counter-attacking side.
• Lecce's substitutes were decisive — Štulić and Gandelman combined in stoppage time to deliver the win, a testament to Di Francesco's bench management.
• The result is a reminder that raw possession and attacking volume do not guarantee outcomes in Serie A's most competitive contests.