Nico Paz starred again with an assist as Como made it 12 matches unbeaten with a home ground victory over Sassuolo yesterday. Goals for Anastasios Douvikas in the first half and Alberto Moreno in the second were enough to seal the victory for Cesc Fabregas’ men. The win put them at 6th on the Serie A table, in the European spots, even if temporarily.
Douvikas started up top for Como in their 4231 setup, with Jayden Addai and Jesus Rodriguez to his right and left respectively and Nico Paz in attacking midfield. For Sassuolo, Andrea Pinamonti was up top in their 433 with Armand Lauriente on his left and club legend Domenico Berardi on his right.
The early exchanges saw a few attempts at goal from Armand Lauriente and Domenico Berardi swallowed by a barrage of shots and pressure by Como. Jayden Addai, Jesus Rodriguez, Alberto Moreno and Nico Paz saw their shots either go wide or saved by Sassuolo’s goalkeeper, Arijanet Muric who was kept very busy on the night.
Como’s pressure then finally paid off as the first significant event of the match came in the 14th minute. A corner routine resulted in a loose ball in the box, which was seized upon by Anastasios Douvikas who scored from close range, putting Como up 1-0.
Sassuolo attempted to respond quickly, yet it was Como who were still firmly in control and in the 26th minute, they created another solid opportunity. Jesús Rodríguez took a shot from the left side of the box, but Sassuolo’s goalkeeper, Arijanet Muric, was on hand to make the save. Como continued to press and test the Sassuolo defense. Three minutes later, in the 29th minute, Como’s Jayden Addai fired a shot, but Muric once again made the stop.
The action finally swung back to Sassuolo, who showed their intent from distance. In the 32nd minute, Nemanja Matić struck a low drive from outside the box. This time, it was Como’s goalkeeper, Jean Butez, who ensured the lead remained intact with a save. As the half progressed, the referee was forced to intervene. In the 37th minute, Sassuolo’s Ismaël Koné was issued the first yellow card of the match for a foul.
Perhaps the most dramatic moment of the first half apart from the goal arrived in the 39th minute. Como’s Nico Paz attempted a sensational bicycle kick from the centre of the box, a highly acrobatic and dangerous effort. It took a superb save from the alert Arijanet Muric to deny Paz, classifying the attempt as a spectacular near miss. The first half concluded shortly after, with Como holding a narrow 1-0 advantage.
The second half began with immediate tension, as a card was issued early on. In the 48th minute, Como’s Maxence Caqueret was booked for a foul, evening the card count at one apiece for both teams. Sassuolo, determined to find an equalizer, tested the Como defense again in the 49th minute. Armand Laurienté struck a shot, but Como’s goalkeeper Jean Butez maintained his concentration and made the save.
The first substitution of the match occurred in the 51st minute, a forced change for Sassuolo. Cristian Volpato was brought on to replace Domenico Berardi, who unfortunately had to leave the pitch due to an apparent injury, having been seen holding his right leg.
Como continued to put pressure at the start of the second half and quickly capitalized on the disruption that Berardi’s injury caused among Sassuolo’s ranks. In the 53rd minute, Como doubled their lead. Nico Paz, who had come so close earlier, delivered a delightful through ball to Alberto Moreno, who headed the ball home from close range. The goal made the score 2-0 to Como and gave the home side a crucial cushion.
The momentum stayed with Como, even after the second goal. In the 57th minute, Douvikas, the first goal scorer, took a shot from a difficult angle on the left, but Arijanet Muric once more came up with a save for Sassuolo. Shortly after, Como carved out another chance, a wayward shot, though from the boot of Nico Paz, as his shot from outside the box missed the target to the left.
The 59th minute saw a triple substitution for Como, designed to solidify the lead and introduce fresh legs. Stefan Posch replaced Mërgim Vojvoda , Martin Baturina came on for Jesús Rodríguez , and Lucas da Cunha was substituted in for the cautioned Maxence Caqueret.
Sassuolo pressed for a goal that would reignite their chances of getting something from the match. In the 66th minute, Andrea Pinamonti took a shot, but the reliable Jean Butez was there to save the effort. As the match entered the final quarter, another card was shown. In the 73rd minute, Como’s Jacobo Ramón received a yellow card for a foul, the third booking of the contest.
The final round of substitutions began in the 82nd minute, with changes for both sides. Como brought on Nicolas Kühn to replace Jayden Addai. Sassuolo made a double change, Fali Candé replaced Josh Doig , and Edoardo Iannoni came on for the earlier-cautioned Ismaël Koné.
Despite the late changes, the score remained unchanged. The final action before the whistle came deep into stoppage time. In the 97th minute, Nico Paz delivered a late shot, but Arijanet Muric produced one final save for Sassuolo. The referee blew the whistle immediately after, confirming the final score.
