Lecce vs Juve Stabia: Overview

US Lecce secured a convincing 3-1 victory over SS Juve Stabia in the Round of 32 of the Coppa Italia at the Stadio Comunale Ettore Giardiniero. The Serie A side demonstrated their superiority against the Serie B challengers in this all-southern Italian contest, though not without some resistance from the visitors.

The atmosphere at the "Via del Mare" was electric as 15,000 local supporters turned out for this first competitive fixture of the 2025/26 season. Despite the summer heat in Puglia, fans created a carnival-like environment with flags, drums, and continuous chanting throughout the 90 minutes.

Lecce dominated possession from the outset, with Nikola Krstović opening the scoring in the 23rd minute after a precise cross from Antonino Gallo. Juve Stabia equalized against the run of play through Leonardo Candellone before halftime, but second-half goals from Lameck Banda and Santiago Pierotti sealed the win for the hosts.

This result sees Lecce advance to face either AC Milan or Bari in the Round of 16, continuing their recent tradition of strong Coppa Italia performances at home. For Juve Stabia, despite the defeat, their competitive showing against top-flight opposition suggests they may be well-positioned for their Serie B campaign this season under new ownership.

"We approached this match with the right mentality despite being early in the season. The team showed good conditioning and tactical awareness, though we still have work to do on maintaining concentration for the full 90 minutes. This victory gives us confidence heading into our Serie A opener next week." - Eusebio Di Francesco, US Lecce Coach

"The difference in quality was evident at key moments, but I'm proud of how my players competed against Serie A opposition. We created several good chances and our defensive organization was mostly solid. This experience will be valuable for our Serie B campaign." - Ignazio Abate, SS Juve Stabia Coach

"Scoring in our first official match of the season feels great, especially in front of our supporters. We've been working hard in pre-season and it's beginning to show in our attacking movements. The competition for places is healthy, and we're all pushing each other to improve." - Nikola Krstović, US Lecce Forward

"Playing against Serie A opposition provides a perfect benchmark for our team's development. Despite the result, we showed we can compete at a higher level in spells. Our focus now shifts to building on these positive aspects as we prepare for our Serie B opener." - Marco Ruggero, SS Juve Stabia Defender

Possession: US Lecce 64% - 36% SS Juve Stabia

Shots (On Target): US Lecce 17 (8) - 9 (3) SS Juve Stabia

Corners: US Lecce 7 - 3 SS Juve Stabia

Yellow Cards: US Lecce 2 (Coulibaly, Pierret) - SS Juve Stabia 4 (Ruggero, Stabile, Leone, Piscopo)

Red Cards: None

Key Individual Statistics:

• Nikola Krstović (Lecce): 1 goal, 3 shots on target, 89% pass completion
• Lameck Banda (Lecce): 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 successful dribbles
• Santiago Pierotti (Lecce): 1 goal, 2 key passes
• Wladimiro Falcone (Lecce): 2 saves, 1 claim from cross
• Leonardo Candellone (Juve Stabia): 1 goal, 2 shots on target
• Alessandro Confente (Juve Stabia): 5 saves

Team Comparison:

• Passing Accuracy: Lecce 87% - 72% Juve Stabia
• Successful Dribbles: Lecce 11 - 5 Juve Stabia
• Aerials Won: Lecce 14 - 11 Juve Stabia
• Tackles Won: Lecce 15 - 17 Juve Stabia

The statistics highlight Lecce's dominance in possession and attacking threat, though Juve Stabia showed resilience with more successful tackles, suggesting their determined defensive approach despite the top-flight quality they faced.

15' - First significant chance of the match as Krstović's header from Banda's cross forced a brilliant save from Confente.

23' GOAL (1-0) - US Lecce broke the deadlock when Antonino Gallo delivered a precise cross from the left flank, finding Nikola Krstović who headed powerfully past Confente.

34' - Tactical adjustment by Juve Stabia as coach Abate shifted from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 formation, bringing Leone deeper to provide additional midfield cover.

41' GOAL (1-1) - Against the run of play, SS Juve Stabia equalized through Leonardo Candellone, who capitalized on a defensive mix-up between Kialonda and Falcone to slot home from close range.

57' GOAL (2-1) - US Lecce regained the lead when Lameck Banda received a through ball from Tiago Gabriel, cut inside his marker, and finished precisely into the bottom corner.

68' - Double substitution for Lecce as Di Francesco introduced fresh legs in midfield, adjusting to a more counter-attacking approach to exploit spaces as Juve Stabia pushed forward.

79' GOAL (3-1) - US Lecce sealed the victory through Santiago Pierotti, who finished a lightning-quick counter-attack with a powerful strike from the edge of the box after being set up unselfishly by Banda.

85' - Final roll of the dice for Juve Stabia with two offensive substitutions, but Lecce's experienced defense held firm to maintain their two-goal advantage until the final whistle.

The historical rivalry between US Lecce and SS Juve Stabia has been relatively infrequent but decidedly one-sided in recent years. This Coppa Italia encounter continues the trend of Lecce's dominance in the fixture.

Historical Record (Last 6 Meetings):

• US Lecce wins: 5
• SS Juve Stabia wins: 1
• Draws: 0

Lecce have now won five consecutive matches against Juve Stabia across all competitions, with the Vespe's last victory coming in February 2018 in a Serie B encounter. The aggregate score across these six meetings stands at 13-4 in Lecce's favor.

Previous Encounter Statistics:

• In their last meeting prior to this match (December 2023, Coppa Italia), Lecce won 2-0 with 58% possession and 14 shots to Juve Stabia's 8.
• Lecce have scored at least two goals in each of their last five victories against Juve Stabia.
• Juve Stabia have managed to score in just three of the six recent encounters.

Key Individual Matchups:

• The battle between Lecce's Krstović and Juve Stabia's defensive pairing of Bellich and Ruggero was particularly noteworthy, with the Montenegrin forward continuing his scoring form against the Vespe.
• Juve Stabia's Candellone has now scored in consecutive matches against Lecce, becoming something of a specialist against the Salentini despite his team's overall struggles in the fixture.
• The midfield contest between Lecce's Coulibaly and Juve Stabia's Battistella highlighted the technical gap between Serie A and Serie B, with Coulibaly's superior physical presence and passing range frequently allowing Lecce to establish control.

This latest chapter in the US Lecce versus SS Juve Stabia rivalry reinforces the competitive gap between the two southern Italian sides, though Juve Stabia's goal and periods of competitive play suggest the gap may be narrowing under their new ownership structure and investment.

As this Coppa Italia fixture marks the beginning of the 2025/26 competitive season in Italian football, the league standings for both Serie A and Serie B have yet to be established. However, the teams' positions from last season provide context for their current competitive status.

US Lecce finished the 2024/25 Serie A campaign in 14th position with 38 points, successfully avoiding relegation with a crucial victory against Lazio on the final day. Under Eusebio Di Francesco's guidance, they've maintained their top-flight status for another season, making this their fourth consecutive campaign in Serie A.

SS Juve Stabia concluded the previous Serie B season impressively, reaching the playoff semifinals before narrowly missing out on promotion. They finished in 5th place with 63 points, establishing themselves as one of the stronger teams in Italy's second tier.

For the upcoming 2025/26 season:

• US Lecce's primary objective remains Serie A survival, with hopes of potentially pushing for a mid-table finish to improve on last season's positioning.
• SS Juve Stabia, now under the majority ownership of Brera Holdings following their 52% stake acquisition in June 2025, have clear promotion ambitions. Their market value has increased by 245% to $32 million, suggesting significant investment in strengthening the squad.

This Coppa Italia result indicates both teams are approaching their respective league campaigns with promising performances, though Lecce's superior quality ultimately proved decisive in this cup competition.