Como continued their impressive run of form with a 2-0 victory over Sassuolo on Saturday, October 24, as Anastasios Douvikas scored twice in the second half to secure three important Serie A points for Cesc Fabregas’ side.
Fresh from their emphatic Champions League victory over Manchester United, Como returned to domestic action at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia looking to maintain their momentum. Although Sassuolo frustrated them during the opening period, two second-half goals ensured the hosts claimed another convincing victory.
The match began with Como on the front foot, and Lucas Da Cunha thought he had opened the scoring in the seventh minute. However, the goal was ruled out for offside, denying the home side an early breakthrough.
Douvikas subsequently came close to scoring when his effort from a tight angle struck the near post after taking a deflection. The Greek striker continued to trouble Sassuolo’s defence, forcing goalkeeper Stefano Turati into an important save, while Maxence Caqueret also tested the visitors without producing a breakthrough.
Sassuolo gradually found their footing and threatened to punish Como’s inability to convert their opportunities. Benjamin Dominguez attempted to create danger from the left, but his effort curled wide of the target.
The visitors also had the ball in the net before half-time. Kieron Bowie supplied Darryl Bakola, who finished the move, but the goal was disallowed because Bowie had strayed offside during the build-up.
The teams therefore went into the interval level at 0-0, leaving Fabregas with decisions to make after a frustrating first half.
The Como manager responded by introducing Jayden Addai, Luis Milla and Jacobo Ramon at the break, replacing Martin Baturina, Samuele Ricci and Willy Kambwala. The changes immediately improved the hosts’ attacking intensity.
Como finally broke the deadlock in the 49th minute through Douvikas. Caqueret won possession with a determined challenge in midfield before releasing Kaiki down the left flank. The Brazilian defender advanced and delivered a low cross into the penalty area, where Douvikas arrived to finish and put the hosts 1-0 ahead.
Sassuolo protested that Caqueret had fouled Nemanja Matic during the move, but the goal stood.
The breakthrough gave Como greater confidence, and they nearly doubled their advantage when Addai twisted away from his marker on the right before forcing Turati into another difficult save. Caqueret attempted to convert the rebound with a header, but his effort was deflected wide.
Douvikas, however, was not finished.
In the 60th minute, Como doubled their lead after Kaiki intercepted a Sassuolo pass and surged forward. The defender continued his impressive contribution by driving towards the byline and cutting the ball back into the penalty area.
Douvikas timed his movement perfectly and slid towards the delivery, guiding the ball beyond Turati from close range to complete his brace and make it 2-0.
The two goals demonstrated the striker’s movement and finishing ability, while Kaiki’s contributions highlighted Como’s effectiveness in exploiting the left flank.
Sassuolo struggled to respond after conceding the second goal, with Como maintaining control and continuing to create opportunities. The visitors’ defensive organisation began to deteriorate under pressure, allowing the hosts to threaten further.
Luis Milla came close to adding a third when he received the ball inside the penalty area following a Sassuolo mistake, but his effort went wide. Jacobo Ramon also had a late opportunity blocked as Como continued pushing forward.
The encounter featured several disciplinary incidents. Domenico Berardi was booked in the second half, followed by Como’s Yan Couto in the 65th minute. Sassuolo defender Ignace Van der Brempt was cautioned late in the match, while Milla also received a yellow card in stoppage time.
Despite the physical challenges, neither side received a red card, and Como comfortably protected their advantage until the final whistle.
The victory extended Como’s winning run to three matches across all competitions and took their Serie A points tally to 17 after eight league fixtures, strengthening their position among the leading teams.
Douvikas was the outstanding performer, scoring twice after the break to take advantage of the opportunities created by Caqueret and Kaiki. His goals also continued an impressive personal scoring run, with the striker finding the net in four consecutive matches across competitions.
For Fabregas, the result demonstrated the value of his half-time adjustments. Como had struggled to turn their first-half dominance into goals, but the substitutions helped increase their attacking threat and ultimately settled the contest.
After their statement victory against Manchester United, Como have now followed up with another important result. Their challenge will be to sustain this level of performance as the season progresses, with a trip to Torino scheduled for Tuesday, October 27.
For now, the victory over Sassuolo offers further encouragement that Como can compete consistently while balancing their domestic campaign with European football..
