Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Pisa recovered from a goal down to thrash Pavia 6-1 in Paolo Bianco's first pre-season friendly at Morgex, with five second-half goals including debut strikes from Leone and Piccinini.
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Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Pavia, managed by former Triestina striker Pablo Granoche, stunned their higher-tier opponents in the 20th minute. Matteo Carbonara collected the ball on the edge of the area and drove forward, beating Pisa goalkeeper Loria with a composed finish to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
Pisa had started slowly, which Bianco later attributed to the heavy training load of the first week in Morgex. "At the beginning we were a bit heavy-legged," the coach said via the club's official channels. The Nerazzurri needed time to find their rhythm, but when they did, the equaliser arrived in the 36th minute.
M. Durmush rose highest to meet a pinpoint cross from Meister on the left flank, heading past Cincilla to restore parity at 1-1, where the scoreline remained until half-time.
Bianco rang the changes at the break, introducing an entirely different XI for the second period. The fresh legs immediately made an impact. M. Léris broke the deadlock in the 61st minute with a low, right-footed free-kick that slid through the wall and beat Cincilla at his near post.
N. Conti doubled the lead in the 77th minute, reacting quickest to slam home the rebound after Marras had rattled the post from a tight angle. The floodgates opened in the final ten minutes: Giuseppe Leone scored his first goal in nerazzurro with a crisp left-footed finish in the 85th, before combining elegantly with Matteo Tramoni two minutes later — Leone's lay-off allowed Tramoni to sweep home for 5-1. Gabriele Piccinini completed the scoring in the 90th minute with a powerful diagonal strike that the Pavia goalkeeper could not keep out.
The Turning Point
The 61st-minute free-kick from Léris changed the complexion of the match. Pisa had dominated possession in the second half but lacked a cutting edge until the Algerian midfielder's set-piece unlocked the Pavia defence. From that moment, the Serie B side's superior fitness and quality told, and Pavia, who had defended resolutely until then, had no answer to the wave of attacks that followed.
Moments before the breakthrough, Pisa had also suffered a worrying setback: defender Mateus Lusuardi went down clutching his knee after a challenge with Rosa and was stretchered off. Subsequent reports from CalcioPisa and SestaPorta indicated the injury could be serious, with early fears of cruciate ligament damage that would end his pre-season before it had begun. Bianco admitted after the match: "We're sorry for Lusuardi's injury, we hope it's nothing serious."
Key Performers
Giuseppe Leone (Pisa) — The new midfield signing announced himself with a goal and an assist in a 25-minute cameo. His composure on the ball and intelligent movement gave Pisa a different dimension in the final third. A debut to remember.
M. Léris (Pisa) — Scored the crucial second goal with a well-struck free-kick and was a constant threat down the right flank after his introduction. His ability to beat a man and deliver quality crosses was a key weapon.
Matteo Tramoni (Pisa) — The French attacker showed the quality that makes him one of Pisa's most dangerous players, scoring the fifth goal with a neat turn and finish after linking with Leone.
Matteo Carbonara (Pavia) — The lone bright spot for the Serie D side, his driving run and composed finish to open the scoring was a moment of genuine quality. He was substituted later in the second half after an industrious shift.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
Corners finished 7-1 in Pisa's favour, underscoring the territorial dominance they established after the break. The shot count told a similar story: Pisa's second-half barrage of 15+ attempts reflected the gulf in fitness and technical quality between a Serie B squad in its first week of pre-season and a Serie D side. The 1-1 half-time scoreline, however, was a fair reflection of a first period in which Pavia looked sharp and well-organised, having also started pre-season training earlier. Pisa's 1.0 xG in the first half climbed to well over 3.0 by full-time as the Nerazzurri's rotations overwhelmed a tiring Pavia defence.
What It Means
This was Pisa's first pre-season friendly under Paolo Bianco, who took over ahead of the 2026-27 Serie B campaign. The result is of limited significance in isolation, but the manner of the comeback and the performances of young players and new signings will encourage the coaching staff. Attention now turns to Lusuardi's knee injury, which could be a significant blow if confirmed as serious. Pisa's next pre-season fixture has not yet been officially announced, but further friendlies are expected during their Morgex training camp before the Serie B season begins in August.
For Pavia, managed by Granoche, this was a valuable test against professional opposition. Their next pre-season match is against AlbinoLeffe, as confirmed by Granoche in his post-match interview with Pavia Calcio TV.
Verdict
A routine pre-season win that told Bianco more about his squad depth than his first XI. Pisa's response after falling behind was professional, and the second-half performance suggested the tactical ideas are already taking shape. The Lusuardi injury is a concern, but the emergence of players like Leone and the sharpness of Léris and Tramoni offers genuine cause for optimism ahead of the Serie B campaign.
Match Events
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 21 Jul 2026
