Rome: A Hard-Fought 4-0 Win Over Cagliari. Nico Paz Stuns Torino and Sends Como Soaring
Roma returned to winning ways immediately, doing so at the end of a match full of twists and turns. The hosts started aggressively, but in the 7th minute, it was Cagliari who earned a penalty kick through Adopo. Three minutes later, Nzola converted the penalty, putting the Rossoblù ahead. Gasperini’s team reacted immediately and equalized in the 15th minute through Lulli, who finished off a play set up by Molina. The Giallorossi’s comeback was complete in the 21st minute, when the winger—fresh off a contract extension through 2031—delivered a perfect cross from the right to Pisilli, who made a smart run to score the 2-1 goal.
Roma continued to press but also left too much space for the opposition’s counterattacks. Nzola had a couple of chances to equalize before halftime but failed to convert them. The teams went into the break with the Giallorossi holding the lead. In the second half, the home team fails to close out the game, and Cagliari capitalizes. Pisacane sends in Daniel Maldini, who in the 81st minute takes advantage of Obert’s through ball and beats Gollini, silencing the Olimpico with the 2-2 equalizer.
Roma, however, responded immediately. In the 85th minute, the newly substituted Ghilardi sent in a cross from the right, and Mora—left unmarked in the box while the defenders were focused on Malen—headed the ball home to put the Giallorossi back in front. Two minutes later, the final 4-2 came: Malen and Mora combined again, with the Dutchman—after his first shot was blocked—finding the net on his second attempt to seal the victory. In the closing minutes, Roma were thus able to celebrate three precious points.
Como struggled, falling behind in the first half, but in the closing minutes they came from behind to defeat Torino and secure their third consecutive league victory. Once again, it was Nico Paz who made the difference, with an assist and a goal that turned the game around and allowed the Larians to temporarily move past Milan into fourth place. The Granata started with an effective tactical plan and took the lead in the 24th minute. Ramon lost the ball under pressure from Fitz-Jim, who set up Adams in the center of the box. The Scottish striker, from close range, beat Robert Sanchez to make it 1-0.
Fabregas’s team controlled possession for the most part but struggled to find openings against a Torino side well-organized defensively by Abate. Torino, on the other hand, posed a threat on the counterattack and nearly doubled their lead through Belghali, who is in excellent form. Como’s attacks failed to produce any particularly clear-cut chances, and at halftime, the score favored the visitors. In the second half, the script remains the same: Como continues to dictate the play, while Torino sits back and looks to strike on the counterattack. It is precisely from a counterattack that a great chance for a 2-0 lead arises, but Robert Sanchez makes a spectacular save on Gineitis’s close-range left-footed shot, keeping his team in the game.
Just when the match seemed headed toward a Torino victory, Como shifted gears. In the 81st minute, Nico Paz delivered a perfect cross to Jacobo Ramon, who rose highest to head home the equalizer. The Argentine wasn’t content with just the assist, and in the 87th minute, he completed the comeback: on a cross from Yan Couto, the number 10 made a run and headed the ball in again, making it 2-1. Torino felt the blow, and in the 92nd minute, Como scored their third goal. After a defensive scramble, Baturina found himself with the ball just a few steps from the goal and didn’t miss, returning to the scoresheet after a less-than-stellar stretch.
