LECCE, Italy (Interstat) — In a tightly contested Serie A match on Sunday, Lecce opened its 2025-26 league campaign with a 2-1 victory over visiting US Cremonese at Stadio Comunale Ettore Giardiniero.

The home side, known as the Giallorossi, secured the win with a second-half goal from substitute Federico Bonazzoli, overturning an early deficit. The result handed Cremonese a defeat to begin its season.

Against the projections of Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 1-1 draw, Lecce demonstrated resilience. The pre-match analytics gave Lecce a 67.10 percent probability to win based on its ELO rating, a margin the team ultimately justified with its comeback performance.

Cremonese struck first against the run of play in the 22nd minute. Forward Santiago Pierotti, providing the game’s key early performance, found the net to give the visitors a surprising lead. The goal quieted the home supporters and set up a defensive challenge for Lecce.

The match grew increasingly tense as the first half progressed, with two yellow cards issued in quick succession just before the break. Cremonese substitute Matteo Bianchetti was booked in the 44th minute, followed by Lecce defender Jamil Siebert in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time.

Lecce’s pressure paid off almost immediately after the restart. Just two minutes into the second half, the equalizer arrived. Bonazzoli, who had entered the match as a substitute, leveled the score at 1-1 with a well-taken finish in the 47th minute. The assist came from Siebert, who atoned for his earlier yellow card with a key contribution in the attacking phase.

The turnaround was completed in the 66th minute. Veteran forward Nikola Štulić, another pivotal performer for Lecce, scored what proved to be the decisive goal, putting the home side ahead 2-1. The assist was credited to another substitute, Milan Đurić.

Cremonese’s frustrations mounted as Đurić himself received a yellow card in the 53rd minute, part of a physical second half. Despite a late push from the visitors, which included seven minutes of stoppage time, Lecce’s defense held firm. Lecce captain Sebastiano Luperto was shown a yellow card in the seventh minute of added time as the home side managed the final moments.

The final whistle confirmed Lecce’s perfect start to the Serie A season, moving its record to one win and no losses. Cremonese, meanwhile, begins its campaign with a defeat, standing at no wins and one loss. Both teams carry identical records across all competitions for the young season.

The match showcased the impact of tactical substitutions, with Bonazzoli’s goal and assists from Siebert and Đurić proving crucial off the bench. Pierotti’s early strike for Cremonese stood as the visitors’ lone highlight in a match where Lecce controlled large portions of play and capitalized on its opportunities to secure all three points.