Livorno 2 - 1 Lecce
C Lucarelli 12 (Li), Pinardi pen 39 (Le), Palladino 48 (Li)
Stadio Picchi
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Cristiano Lucarelli was immediately on target for Livorno, but debutant Raffaele Palladino scored the winner against Lecce to open the 2005-06 season.
Lucarelli ended last year as Capocannoniere with 24 goals and started the way he finished - by scoring the first of the new season. The Livorno born and bred hitman fired in a fierce drive from 20 metres to put the Amaranto ahead after just 12 minutes. It was a particularly special goal for the player who wore the Lecce jersey from 1999 to 2001.
It was Lecce Coach Angelo Gregucci's Serie A debut as a tactician, but he was almost 2-0 down by the half-hour mark when Lucarelli's powerful header thumped the upright on Pfertzel's chipped cross.
However, Lecce were awarded a soft penalty for a Jorge Vargas push on Souleymane Diamoutene. Alex Pinardi stepped up and converted to draw level, although ex-Salentini 'keeper Marco Amelia almost reached the ball in the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Livorno ended the half pouring forward and Vincenzo Sicignano got down well to parry a Centi piledriver.
Within two minutes of the restart, the home side had restored their lead through Palladino. The forward was quick to react to Lucarelli's assist and netted on his Serie A debut.
Sicignano flew to perform tough saves on Lucarelli and an audacious dipping Pfertzel half-volley, as Livorno maintained the pressure.
A well-placed Lucarelli volley again tested Sicignano, this time the shot-stopper closing his legs to prevent the spectacular nutmeg.
Lucarelli's counter-attack was wasted when he cut back for Stefano Morrone, who ballooned it over the bar from a promising position. Palladino almost accidentally redirected a wayward Diego De Ascentis effort off target from six yards, but he was in an offside position anyway.
Lecce were nonetheless unlucky not to equalise three minutes from time, as Marianini nodded a Jaime Valdes free kick just wide of the target.
Sicignano kept his men in it until the final whistle with another great save, his palms stung by Morrone's powerful effort.
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Livorno: Amelia; Grandoni, Vargas, Galante; Pferzel (Balleri 88), Morrone, Ruotolo, Centi (De Ascentis 71), Giallombardo; Lucarelli, Palladino (Paulinho 77)
Lecce: Sicignano; Polenghi, Diamoutene, Stovini, Rullo; Angelo (Camorani 63), Marianini, Ledesma, Pinardi; Pellè (Cozzolino 57), Eremenko (Valdes 67)
Ref: Rocchi
source: channel4.com
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