AC Milan v Lecce is coming up for Coach Fonesca’s men, but it is also a sweet memory for Mister Zaccheroni, who on 10 December 2000 gave the fans an electric win over the Salentini. A game worth remembering and revisiting as we turn a new chapter on Matchday 6 of Serie A 2024/25. Let us turn back time to the 2000/01 season.
The stage was set at San Siro for the 10th round of the Serie A 2000/01 season. The Rossoneri just had two consecutive wins which gave the team the momentum needed after a fluctuating start; Cavasin’s Lecce, at the same time, had a great start for their second campaign in the top league, having beaten Inter 1-0 a few weeks before. In the AC Milan camp, one name stood out: Andriy Shevchenko. After making his debut in the 1999/00 season, he quickly established himself as a key player in the new season, bagging eight goals in nine games. He is joined by Bierhoff up front, with Leonardo behind them in a 3-4-1-2 formation. The batteries recharged, the Rossoneri were raring to go.
Leonardo started in fine form, and produced the breakthrough not before long: in the 20th minute, Maldini’s cross just missed Bierhoff to end up near the far post, where the Brazilian slotted it in with his left foot. Lecce responded quickly, with Conticchio scoring just two minutes later. The deadlock did not last long, however, as Shevchenko took centre-stage to score a brace in just four minutes, a left-footer in the 27th minute and a clinical penalty earned by Ambrosini in the 31st minute. Our No. 7’s effect on the scoreline left the Giallorossi in trouble. AC Milan pressed on but, despite creating many chances, had to wait until near the end of the match to see the final goal. In the 88th minute, José Mari slotted the ball past Chimenti with Leonardo’s help for the fourth goal. Leonardo broke the ice, Sheva added two, and José Mari finished it off: the Rossoneri won 4-1 and gained three valuable points, before eventually finishing sixth in the league after a change in manager.
