Serie A: Como spoil Allegri’s Napoli home debut in 2-1 win

Como pulled off their latest feat of Serie A giant-killing on Sunday as a 2-1 win at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona ruined Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri’s home debut.

Martin Baturina fired Cesc Fabregas’s enterprising side into a deserved lead in the 17th minute as chances fell at both ends in soaring temperatures in Naples.

Rasmus Hojlund’s brilliant strike drew the hosts level on the half-hour mark, but his good work was quickly undone when a defensive mix-up led to Anastasios Douvikas scoring for the second game in a row.

Kevin De Bruyne, who inspired Napoli to an opening win over Genoa with a goal and assist from the bench, was unable to turn the tide after coming on early in the second half.

Como survived late pressure to hold on as Stanislav Lobotka’s stoppage-time strike was ruled out for offside.

“It is a very valuable win… the first half was very good, and in the second, we understood that we were facing champions, and we held out,” Fabregas told broadcasters DAZN.

Fabregas’s side upset the established order in Italian football last season by qualifying for the Champions League for the first time, where they were drawn against the likes of holders Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Manchester United.

But the Spanish coach admitted that he is hoping for more new signings before the transfer window closes on September 1, to help cope with a busy schedule.

“Obviously, I’m expecting a striker. Douvikas can’t play both the league and the cups. We suffered a lot with (Alvaro) Morata last year, for months he was out injured.

“Playing every three days at this level isn’t easy,” Fabregas said.

Como, who were held by Udinese in their opener, moved up to four points in the Serie A table, two behind early frontrunners AC Milan and Juventus, while last season’s runners-up Napoli remained on three points.

AFP