Como marked their Champions League debut in style with a stunning 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
Martin Baturina and Tasos Douvikas put the Italian debutants two goals ahead before Assane Diao and Maximo Perrone completed a memorable night for the hosts.
Como had waited 119 years to play their first European match. They needed only 15 minutes to make their mark in front of 11,000 supporters on the shores of Lake Como. Baturina opened the scoring after Leipzig failed to clear Douvikas’ cutback. The Croatia international recovered from a slip inside the box before finding the net for Como’s first-ever goal in European competition.
The hosts doubled their advantage in the 38th minute. Baturina returned the favour by sending Douvikas through on goal, with the forward calmly slotting the ball past Leipzig goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt.
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Cesc Fabregas’ side continued to control the match after the break and extended their lead through Diao. The Senegal winger received the ball in a tight position before finishing across Vandevoordt to make it 3-0.
Leipzig finally found a response through Andrija Maksimovic, whose first-time effort from the edge of the box reduced the deficit and gave the Bundesliga side a glimmer of hope. However, Como quickly restored their three-goal advantage as Perrone struck in the 90th minute to seal a remarkable 4-1 victory and cap a historic European night for the club.
The result gives Como an impressive start to their first-ever Champions League campaign. It also provides Fabregas’ side with an early statement on a night the club and its supporters will remember for years.
