Como moves clear of the relegation zone after a slim win

Como are well off the relegation zone courtesy of a slim win over Torino in their Serie A clash on Sunday night.

They secured a home win through a header from Tasos Douvikas to end the streak of positive Torino results.

Torino almost secured a draw, thanks to the late VAR drama. Cesc Fabregas, who was able to achieve maximum points, had nearly a full squad to choose from and achieve his aim.

The Granata had been on a good run, with just one defeat in their last 14 Serie A games. They are coming from back-to-back 1-1 draws with Lazio and Verona in the game.

Toro had the first real chance as a ball over the top was allowed to bounce, and Karol Linetty’s header whistled inches past the far post.

The hosts responded as Assane Diao stung Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s effort at the near post.

Milinkovic-Savic was called to action with a fingertip save from a curling Lucas Da Cunha free kick out of the near top corner.

Como broke the deadlock as Torino full-back Mergim Vojvoda got down the right and released a perfect cross for the towering Tasos Douvikas header.

Como continued to search for the second as Milinkovic-Savic got down quickly for the one-handed save on an Alberto Moreno daisy-cutter from outside the area.

Che Adams’s effort and Eljif Elmas’s low cross went over the bar, while Jonathan Ikone’s shot went into the side-netting from a tricky angle for Como.

Jean Butez was called to action again as Elmas stung his gloves from the edge of the box, and the Torino goalie used his feet to parry from point-blank range as Gvidas Gineitis came sliding onto the Elmas cross at the back post.

Torino continued the search for an equalizer in the second half as Elmas forced another Butez to save with his curler. 

Milinkovic-Savic also had to make a fingertip save from an Edoardo Goldaniga header over the bar from a Como corner.

Como suffered an injury blow when substitute Sergi Roberto ran onto a through ball and suddenly pulled up clutching the back of his left thigh, having been on the pitch for 11 minutes when limping off again.

Oliver Kempf celebrated a clean tackle after he threw himself in the path of Elmas after a loose ball created havoc from 10 yards in the final minutes.

Torino thought they had finally restored parity, only for the goal to be chalked off due to VAR intervention.

This led to a drama in stoppages because Cristiano Biraghi slipped in taking the corner that led to the goal. Alieu Fadera cleared the corner to the edge of the area, where Ivan Ilic’s daisy-cutter squirmed through a sea of legs into the far bottom corner. 

However, VAR disallowed it because when he slipped, Biraghi kicked the corner twice, which is not allowed.