Lens-Como 1-9
GOALS: 7′ pt Douvikas, 32′ pt Douvikas, 40′ pt Nico Paz, 2′ st Da Cunha, 8′ st Kempf, 12′ st Douvikas, 17′ st Liberali, 20′ st Aguilar, 24′ st Baturina, 45′ +1′ st Papaccioli.
LENS (3-4-1-2): Risser 6; Antonio 4, Baidoo 4, Udol 4; Aguilar 6, Cuisance 4.5, Haidara 4.5 (25′ st Bulatovic sv), Skoras 5 (1′ st Abdulhamid 5); Thauvin 4.5 (25′ st Kadile sv); Ivanovic 5 (1′ st Mesloub 5), Hazard 4.5. On the bench: Gurtner, Celik, Sotoca, Titraoui, Gorgelin, Todibo, Gradit, Sagnan. Coach: Cahuzac 4.
COMO (4-2-3-1): Butez 6.5; Couto 7, Ramon 7.5, Kempf 7.5 (27′ st Smolcic sv), Valle 7.5; Milla 7.5 (13′ st Ricci 6), Perrone 7; Da Cunha 7.5 (13′ st Baturina 7), Nico Paz 8 (13′ st Liberali 7.5), Caqueret 7; Douvikas 8.5 (16′ st Papaccioli 7). On the bench: Sánchez, Ginelli, Dossena, Kaiki, Grilli. Coach: Fabregas 8.
REFEREE: Saggi (Norway) 5.5
NOTES: overcast skies, pitch in good condition. Booked: Baidoo, Cuisance. Corners 5-5. Recovery 4′ st, 3′ st.
Como writes history and beats Lens away from home with an incredible score of 9-1. It is the magic of Nico Paz and the hat-trick of Douvikas that illuminate a night that will remain forever in the memory of the blue and white fans. At the first attack, after just seven minutes, the Como team took the lead. Milla crosses from the right, Perrone acts as a header for Douvikas who extends to beat Risser from two steps. In the quarter of an hour, the hosts were awarded a penalty for an alleged handball in the area committed by Caqueret, but the referee changed the decision after the VAR review. Fabregas’ men in the 32nd minute at the end of a spectacular move. Nico Paz receives on the right and changes play in the area towards Valle, who puts the ball back in the center of the first intention for a very free Douvikas, who scores with his right foot and scores his personal brace. In the 40th minute a new lightning-fast restart gave the Lombards a hat-trick. Douvikas advances centrally, loses time on the first control but still manages to widen on the right for Nico Paz, who finishes under the crossbar with an elusive left-footed shot for Risser. The first half ends at 0-3. The show doesn’t stop and poker materializes less than two minutes into the second half.
Nico Paz verticalizes great for captain Da Cunha, who enters the area from the right and guesses a perfect left-footed low shot to the corner, surpassing Risser. The blue and whites are unstoppable and in the 8th minute they score a top five. Milla hits a cross from the left, finding Kempf in the area who heads past Risser. Four minutes pass and the 6-0 is served. Nico Paz illuminates vertically for Douvikas, who enters the area and beats the goalkeeper again to score his personal hat-trick. The whirlwind of substitutions didn’t dampen the guest’s enthusiasm, with Ramon hitting the ball centrally in the 17th minute for the newly introduced Liberali, who advanced and mocked Risser with a left-footed touch to the near post which made it a sensational 7-0. The crowning goal for the Transalpines came in the 25th minute, when a great volley from Agular’s right-footed shot pierced an innocent Butez. Como was not satisfied and in the 24th minute Liberali freed Baturina with a heel, who slipped between the opposing defenders and beat the poor Risser for the eighth time. The final 9-1 materializes at the start of injury time, when the very young Papaccioli passes Risser, making the most of an assist from a wild Liberali. Thanks to this triumph, the Como team move up to fourth place with 9 points, awaiting the next European match scheduled for November 24th at Sinigaglia against Aek Athens.