Szombathelyi Haladas vs Lecce

The first half was goalless despite Lecce fielding a strong starting XI. Former Italy international goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone started between the posts, supported by a midfield featuring Lassana Coulibaly — a player with 165 Serie A appearances — and Portuguese centre-back Tiago Veiga. Haladas, who play in Hungary's NB III (third division), held their shape well and limited Lecce's clear-cut chances before the break.

Di Francesco changed almost his entire outfield team at half-time. Christian Früchtl replaced Falcone in goal, while a new-look side took the pitch featuring Laerke, Burnete and Youssef Maleh. The reshuffle paid dividends in the 54th minute when Laerke found the net to break the deadlock.

Haladas, with Zoltán Senkó in goal for the first half and Bence Bosits after the break, absorbed pressure without conceding before the interval and showed organisation in defence — a positive sign for the approaching NB III season.

Lecce's mass half-time substitution — nine changes across the XI — fundamentally altered the dynamic. The fresh legs and tactical tweak from Di Francesco introduced greater urgency in the final third, and Laerke's finish came within nine minutes of the restart. For Haladas, the disruption of facing a completely different Lecce side in the second half made it difficult to sustain their first-half defensive rhythm.

Hjalte Laerke (Lecce) — The Danish midfielder scored the decisive goal and was the most dangerous attacking presence after the break. His movement between the lines caused problems for the Haladas defence.

Wladimiro Falcone (Lecce) — The 164-Serie-A-appearance veteran was a spectator for much of the first half but commanded his area with authority when called upon.

Szombathelyi Haladas defence — The back line of Frák, Tamás, Gregor and Simon B. held a Serie A side scoreless for 45 minutes in appalling conditions, a creditable performance for a team playing two tiers below their opponents.

Player of the match: Hjalte Laerke (Lecce)

The provider data shows a single goal from a second-half substitute, which reflects the pattern of the game: a tightly-contested first half followed by Lecce's greater depth proving decisive after wholesale changes. No cards were issued, consistent with the friendly nature of the contest. The goalless first half reflects Haladas's compact defensive structure rather than a lack of attacking intent from Lecce.

For Lecce, this was the first public test of their 2026/27 pre-season. The Serie A side are based in Fürstenfeld, Austria, for their summer training camp and travelled to Szombathely for the fixture. Di Francesco gave minutes to a large squad, with only Štulic, Berisha, Pérez, Gandelman, Banda, Esteban and Kaba absent from the matchday group, per SportMediaset. Lecce next face Romanian side Politehnica Timișoara on 22 July.

For Szombathelyi Haladas, the match was a marquee event. Club director Schäfer Péter told Nemzeti Sport the fixture was as much about community engagement as preparation: "We wanted to put on a sporting event that is about Haladas and provides quality entertainment for the fans. People came who had never been to the stadium before — that's very important to us."

The club, which was near bankruptcy 18 months ago before being rescued by a donation from Hungarian national team midfielder Schäfer András and his brother, has since stabilised. Swiss firm DSM AG now holds a 30% stake. Haladas finished sixth in NB III last season and aim to return to the top flight by 2031.

The ceremonial kick-off was performed by former Hungarian international Vincze István, who played 45 Serie A matches for Lecce between 1988 and 1990 and remains a fan favourite at the club.

A routine pre-season exercise for Lecce, who got what they needed: competitive minutes across two XIs, a clean sheet, and a goal from a squad player. Haladas emerged with credit, holding a Serie A side for 53 minutes in dreadful conditions, and the 2,160 crowd — impressive for a third-division friendly played on the same evening as the World Cup final — suggests the club's revival is gaining traction.