Rare Figo Goal Helps Seal Inter Victory At Lecce

Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic slammed in the opener on 12 minutes before midfielders Figo and Dejan Stankovic headed home in the second half.

Luis Figo scored his first goal of the season to help Serie A leaders Inter Milan secure a 3-0 win at struggling Lecce on Saturday.

Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic slammed in the opener on 12 minutes before midfielders Figo and Dejan Stankovic headed home in the second half.

The champions, who nervously drew 1-1 at home to Torino last weekend, have a nine-point lead but second-placed AC Milan can cut it back to six with a win over bottom side Reggina in Saturday's late game (1930 GMT).

Fourth-from-bottom Lecce had some decent opportunities to equalise at 1-0 as they remained four points above the drop zone.

Swedish talisman Ibrahimovic fired his 14th league goal of the campaign after the busy Esteban Cambiasso laid the ball off having pretended to shoot.

Lecce defender Guglielmo Stendardo then had the best chance for the hosts but Julio Cesar saved his header.

Inter's Maicon somehow missed from close range after the break but Figo, 36, made sure they would not regret it when he headed in a cross from teenage left back Davide Santon in the 71st minute.

The former Portugal captain, used sparingly this term having put off retirement at the end of last season, had not scored a league goal since a 3-0 win over Sampdoria in Sept. 2007.

Stankovic nodded in a third late on having again been a driving force for Inter, who operated with the Serbian and Figo behind lone front man Ibrahimovic.

Third-placed Juventus, 10 points behind Inter, visit Catania on Sunday.