Vs Inter Milan (5)

Lecce emerged for the second half with their eyes burning brighter, as though they'd all consumed something fierce together. The stadium lights reflected off their sweat-soaked kit, and each player stepped onto the grass with the kind of purpose that made even the San Siro seem smaller, more intimate. They remained in their 4-4-2 formation, but this time, they carried a hunger deeper than before. Alex Walker had told them to let go of the defensive shell they'd built in the first forty-five, to dance on the edge of bravery. They had obeyed, sweeping the ball neatly, forming tight triangles in midfield, stretching out wide, probing the dangerous zones between Inter's lines.

Yet courage always carries a price, and Inter smelled the vulnerability.