Three goals within 12 minutes from Gabriel Strefezza, Nico Paz and Alieu Fadera sent Como and coach Cesc Fabregas on their way to their first Serie A victory of the season, beating Atalanta 3-2 at the Gewiss Stadium, despite goals from Davide Zappacosta and Ademola Lookman.
See how it all unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog
The game had originally been scheduled to kick off 24 hours earlier, on Monday evening, but the game was called-off, called back on again and then definitively postponed after torrential rain in the Bergamo region at the start of the week.
Coaches Gian Piero Gasperini and Cesc Fabregas had already revealed their starting line-ups on Monday night, and though they were able to make changes if they wanted to, both stuck with the same personnel on Tuesday.
Atalanta had the best chance of the opening exchanges through Mateo Retegui, who steered an effort on target from the centre of the penalty area after some neat work from Charles De Ketelaere. Emil Audero did well to put it behind for a corner.
Atalanta would find the lead through Zappacosta with 18 minutes on the clock. A Raoul Bellanova corner was headed clear to the edge of the area, where his compatriot was waiting to dispatch an improvised half-volley into the near corner of the net for 1–0.
From there, it was Como who had the better chances of the first half. Marco Carnesecchi had to be alert to keep a couple of Cutrone efforts out, while Sergi Roberto threatened with an effort heading for the bottom corner from the edge of the area just shy of the half-hour mark.
Como ended the first 45 minutes with five shots, three on target, compared to Atalanta’s two.
It took just 20 seconds of the second half for the visitors to get themselves level. A wonderful flick from Sergi Roberto on the edge of the area landed at the feet of Gabriel Strefezza, who sent a powerful effort past Carnesecchi into the far corner of the net.
Como would snatch the lead with 52 minutes gone. Nico Paz tried with a powerful long-range effort, which took a huge deflection off Sead Kolasinac on its way in and eventually went down as an own goal against the former Arsenal defender.
The visitors went on to extend their lead just two minutes after the re-start. Nico Paz was involved again, sending a perfect long ball over the top, which Fadera took in his stride, before bending a tidy finish past Carnesecchi from the left-hand side of the area.
Como defended their lead excellently from there, and though Atalanta spent most of the final third camped in their opposition’s half, they struggled to find the breakthrough.
That was until the penultimate kick of the game, when debutant Vanja Vlahovic, who came on for his senior debut midway through the second half, was brought down in the area seven minutes into injury time.
Ademola Lookman, who also emerged off the bench, stepped up to take it and slammed it straight down the middle with the final touch of the game.
Full-time: Atalanta 2-3 Como
Zappacosta (A) 18′, Strefezza (C) 46′, Kolasinac OG (C) 52′, Fadera (C) 54′, Lookman (A) 90+9′.
Player statistic
| 10' |  |
Sergi Roberto | ||
| Davide Zappacosta |  |
18' | ||
| 36' | |
Alberto Moreno |
| 46' | |
Gabriel Strefezza (Assist: Sergi Roberto) | ||
| 54' |  |
Sead Kolasinac | ||
| 57' | |
Alieu Fadera (Assist: Nico Paz) | ||
| Marten de Roon | |
83' | ||
| Ademola Lookman |  |
90+7' | ||
| 90+1' | |
Ignace Van Der Brempt |
Match statistic
Arguably the most impressive single performance by any team so far this season. Outstanding team performance.