Como End 21-year Drought, Beating Europa League Champions Atalanta

“It’s just the beginning,” said Como manager Cesc Fabregas after his side’s come-from-behind victory over Atalanta that ended the club’s 21-year wait.

The fightback came twenty seconds into the second half through Gabriel Strefezza, the Brazilian unleashing an angled drive past Marco Carnesecchi to level the game. Nico Paz had a hand in the next two: his deflected shot giving Como the lead, and a lofted pass playing in Alieu Fadera who scored one of great solo goals this season.

The win at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo could be seen as the club’s breakthrough moment of the season. After such a long wait to return to the pinnacle of the Italian game, registering that first win in Serie A can often be the most-difficult, but once it arrives it can build momentum and lead to many more. Looking at Como’s fixture list before the season started, it’s doubtful many would’ve believed the first victory would’ve arrived at the home of the current Europa League champions.

Como came close, very close, to winning against Bologna on September 14 against at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, only to be denied by a marvellous goal from Englishman Samuel Iling-Junior. They wouldn’t be denied in Bergamo.

The match was postponed on Monday night after hours of rain descended on the streets of Bergamo, leaving the pitch waterlogged and unfit for purpose. The game was put on hold for an hour before referee Paride Tremolada, after coming out four times to test the state of the waterlogged pitch, called the event off.

The game was rescheduled for a day later, prolonging Como’s wait, but it was worth it.

Davide Zappacosta slammed home the opening goal of the game for La Dea from a corner in the opening 20 minutes. The right-back, not normally one to score, displayed great technique to get over the ball whilst keeping it low, giving Como stopper Emil Audero little chance of saving it.

Many would’ve expected Como to cave and the goals to flow in Atalanta’s favour, yet the game didn’t go according to plan. Fabregas’ men, however, maintained their shape, while Atalanta lacked their usual rhythm, finding it difficult to shift through the gears. Perhaps fatigue kicked in from their game against Arsenal in the Champions League last week, perhaps it was Gian Piero Gasperini’s decision to rotate also influenced their performance. Either way, Como were still in the game.

Then Nico Paz took over. The young Argentine, who wasn’t even born when Como last won a Serie A game in May 2003, was a major thorn in Atalanta’s side in the second half, producing a brilliant display. Playing just behind Patrick Cutrone, Paz was coming deep, taking possession of the ball and driving at La Dea’s at times hapless defenders, pulling them out of position and opening space for the likes of Strefezza on one side and Fadera on the other.

On loan from Real Madrid, Paz has the tools to become a world-class player and there is the feeling he’s going to be crucial to Como’s chances of staying in the top flight. Moreover, he has the quick change of pace needed to guide past players seemingly at will. It was no surprise to see La Gazzetta dello Sport hand the youngster a 7/10 match rating in today’s edition.

If Paz was instrumental in the performance, goal of the night belonged to Fadera, with the Gambian winger turning poor Marten De Roon inside out in the 58th minute. After sending De Roon to the shops, the 22-year-old showed magnificent composure to angle his strike into the bottom corner of Carnesecchi’s goal, giving the Italian no chance.

It was some of the best football Como had played this season, and Atalanta had no answer to the movement of Paz and Sergi Roberto in midfield. For Fabregas, the win against Atalanta now lifts them out of the bottom three and will be a massive confident booster ahead of the game against Verona on Sunday. Moreover, the fledgling manager also gets his first win in the Italian top flight under his belt

The Spaniard was full of praise for his players, saying: “I’m happy with everything. We deserved even more. We worked on tactics and technique, but I ask the boys more than anything else to have personality. I feel sorry for them because the results haven’t arrived yet, despite our efforts.”

Some 7,803 days after their last victory in Serie A, the wait is over.

Watch more on Como 1907 on our YouTube: