Lecce’s Lameck Banda celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Pisa and Lecce in Pisa, Italy. Photo: AFP
MILAN:
Lecce won 2-1 in Pisa on Friday to improve their chances of Serie A survival and condemn both their hosts and Verona to relegation.
The victory put Lecce, who occupy the last safe space in Serie A, four points clear of 18th-placed Cremonese, who host Lazio on Monday.
Earlier Venezia ensured they would be coming up from Serie B despite conceding a 90th-minute goal to draw at La Spezia.
Pisa stayed last in Serie A and fell 14 points behind Lecce with three matches to play. Verona, remain a place and a point better off, but with four games left cannot close the 13-point gap that separates them from Lecce and safety.
Lameck Banda fired Lecce after 52 minutes but the visitors only led for four minutes before Mehdi Leris, playing with his head bandaged, volleyed Pisa level.
Lecce regained the lead in the 65th minute with a goal that was the mirror-image of the first, as Walid Cheddira skimmed a shot inside the far post from the right side of the box.
Gabriele Piccinini, who had come on four minutes earlier, had a 76th minute chance to level but his header from two metres out was well saved by goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone.
On a difficult return to Serie A after a 34-year wait, Pisa have won only two games all season and have been in the relegation zone since the third round of matches.
Their season went awry even before it began with the surprise departure of Filippo Inzaghi, the manager who had secured their promotion.
His successor, another former Italian international, Alberto Gilardino, was sacked after their 23rd match.
Swede Oscar Hiljemark, who took over at just 33 years of age, has picked up only four points in 12 matches.
Pisa were relegated after just one season in Serie for the fifth time. Only once have they survived a season in Serie A, in 1982-83 when they finished a point above the relegation places.
Verona go down after six seasons in Serie A.
Venezia promoted
In Serie B, Venezia who needed a win to ensure promotion, went two goals up against 10-man La Spezia before conceding twice in the last 17 minutes to draw 2-2.
Their disappointment was short-lived as third-place Monza conceded in the fifth minute of added time to lose 3-2 in Mantua.
That result also helped second-placed Frosinone, who won 1-0 at Juve Stabia and need one point from their last match, at home to Mantova, to be sure of promotion.
Venezia who return to Serie A after one season have been another yo-yo club – relegated immediately following their three previous promotions to the top flight.
At the other end of Serie A, leaders Inter Milan could be crowned champions of Italy this weekend when they take on Parma at the San Siro.
Holding a 10-point lead over Napoli, who are at Champions League chasers Como on Saturday evening, Inter need just one win in their final four matches to secure a 21st league title and third in six seasons.
