Hurricane Como: 9 Goals Against Lens and a Champions League Record! Napoli Crumbles in Porto, Allegri Hits Rock Bottom
It was a bittersweet night for the Italian teams in the Champions League. Como pulled off a historic rout in Lens, a staggering 9-1 victory that set a new record for goals scored in a single match in Europe’s top club competition: the Larians climbed to nine points and moved into the top eight of the standings.
Massimiliano Allegri’s Napoli, on the other hand, suffered a crushing defeat in Portugal: Porto routed the Neapolitans 4-1, and the Tuscan coach’s position is increasingly in jeopardy. In the standings, the Azzurri have just three points.
Lens-Como 1-9
Fabregas’s team pressed the French side from the opening minutes and took the lead in the 7th minute when Douvikas scored off a layup from Perrone. Lens reacted and earned a penalty, which was later overturned by VAR. Then it was all Como: Douvikas scored his second off an assist from Valle, Nico Paz netted the third, and celebrated showing a jersey featuring the ill-fated Jesus de Miguel.
In the second half, Lens’s rough night turned into a rout: Como cruised through the game and had fun, sweeping aside their opponents. Da Cunha scored his fourth goal after a splendid play with Nico Paz; Kempf made it 5-0 off a cross from Milla; and Douvikas scored a hat trick to make it 6-0 off an assist from the unstoppable Paz.
At this point, Fabregas rested Nico Paz, Da Cunha, and Milla, bringing on Liberali, Baturina, and Ricci. But Como didn’t stop there: Liberali, fresh off the bench, scored to make it 7-0; then, after Aguilar pulled one back to make it 1-7, Baturina even added an eighth goal off a pass from Liberali. And in the closing minutes came the goal that set the all-time record: Papaccioli scored the 9-1 goal in the 92nd minute.
Porto-Napoli 4-1
A difficult first half for Allegri’s team, which was initially overwhelmed by Porto’s intensity. Porto had a goal by Pepe disallowed but then scored in the 11th minute on a header by Bednarek off a corner kick taken by Veiga. The Azzurri began to find their rhythm after the half-hour mark: Hojlund posed a threat on the counterattack, and in the 43rd minute, McTominay scored the equalizer. The Scot beat everyone to the rebound off Diogo Costa’s save following Politano’s earlier shot.
The second half was a one-sided affair: the hosts laid siege to Napoli’s box and hit the crossbar twice through Bednarek and Gabri Veiga. The Dragons’ pressure was too much, and Napoli were overwhelmed: in the 71st minute, Farioli’s team regained the lead through Gabri Veiga, set up by Santiago Gimenez.
Allegri made substitutions, bringing on Giovane and Lang and fielding an ultra-offensive Napoli lineup, but Porto sealed the match in the 81st minute with a header by Kiwior off a corner kick. And in the closing minutes, the Dragons scored their fourth goal on a penalty kick (Marin was sent off): Samu converted from the penalty spot to make it 4-1.
