Matteo Darmian and a Hakan Calhanoglu penalty gave Inter their first victory of the season, adding to Lecce’s woes.
The Nerazzurri started their season with a 2-2 draw at Genoa and lost Lautaro Martinez to an adductor injury, with Stefan de Vrij and Tajon Buchanan also still out, but Piotr Zielinski was back on the bench as Mehdi Taremi got his first start. Lecce lost 4-0 to Atalanta, missing Mohamed Kaba and Joan Gonzalez.
The hosts took the lead within five minutes, as Taremi only glanced the Federico Dimarco cross, but it turned into an accidental assist for Matteo Darmian’s free header at the back post.
Another Dimarco cross was fingertipped away by Wladimiro Falcone, with Federico Baschirotto charging down the follow-up from tonight’s captain Nicoló Barella.
Benjamin Pavard just about cleared a dangerous Nikola Krstovic pull-back from the by-line, while Taremi missed the acrobatic bicycle-kick on a Darmian cross.
Marcus Thuram turned wide from a Barella pass after the restart and there was chaos on 54 minutes when Taremi pounced on a loose ball, was just about denied by Falcone and Kialonda Gaspar, until Thuram’s follow-up was charged down. On first viewing, it looked like a penalty for Inter, but replays confirm the referee was right that if anything Taremi fouled Gaspar.
Lecce were still in it, Krstovic’s header smothered by Yann Sommer, but moments later Gaspar gave away a penalty for dragging down Thuram. It was converted by Hakan Calhanoglu, maintaining his perfect record from the spot.
Marko Arnautovic almost scored with his first touch for Inter, nodding over from six yards on a Calhanoglu free kick.
Medon Berisha had Lecce’s best chance in stoppages with a daisy-cutter from distance that Sommer had to fingertip round the base of the upright.
