Chivu's comeback kings are marching towards Scudetto, Cesc's Como's heroic display goes unrewarded

If you want to know how a better team can lose a football game, just take a look at the clash between Como and Inter Milan, and you’ll see a clear example of this phenomenon.

Como wasted a number of chances, while the Nerazzurri seized every chance Cesc Fabregas’ lads gave them. In the end, those defensive mistakes prevailed, and Inter earned a nine-point lead over Napoli ahead of the last six Serie A rounds.

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Como were 2-0 up in the 45th minute thanks to Alex Valle and Nico Paz’s goals. Half an hour later, the visitors had a 4-2 lead. And it’s not that I Lariani stopped playing their game, no. Their level never dropped, but Inter’s experience and ability to punish every single error eventually brought Chivu’s crew to the verge of the Scudetto. That and, of course, the two brace-scorers, Marcus Thuram, who single-handedly levelled the score and Denzel Dumfries, who won the game for the Milan side.

Lucas Da Cunha’s 88th-minute goal from the spot did restore the tension in the final minutes, but Inter somehow survived and recorded an extremely hard-fought 4-3 triumph.

As if Como were the Serie A table-toppers, Cesc Fabregas' men established a genuine dominance on the pitch from the start of the game.

Truth be told, during the opening half an hour, Inter's sturdy defence held out pretty well, denying the home team space to threaten Yann Sommer.

However, once the Nerazzurri's back line cracked, Como began exploiting its mistakes.

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In the 32nd minute, Maximo Perrone and Alex Valle caused panic in Inter's box, but Francesco Acerbi came to the visitors' rescue with a timely sliding tackle.

Nevertheless, four minutes later, Inter stood no chance.

Nico Paz made a superb solo run and shot, but Sommer managed to deflect the ball. Unfortunately for the Swiss keeper, the rebound came to Valle, who, this time, did not miss, putting I Lariani deservedly in front.

Cristian Chivu's team tried to bounce back instantly, but instead of threatening the rivals, they left too much room for Como's counterattacks, which led to Paz's beautiful 45th-minute goal - 2-0!

Still, in the dying minutes before the break, Marcus Thuram seized the only chance his team had until that point and reduced the gap, keeping the Milan side's hope alive.

Only four minutes into the second half, the Frenchman exploited Marc-Oliver Kempf's poor reaction and Como keeper Jean Butez's misjudged run off the line to complete a brace, level the score and bring things to square one!

As stunned as they were, Como continued playing their game, which nearly gave them another lead shortly after Thuram's equalizer, but Sommer reacted perfectly after Jacobo Ramon's header.

What the Spaniard failed to do, Inter's Dutchman, Denzel Dumfries, did, as the 59th minute brought a long-range free kick, Hakan Calhanoglu's ideal cross to the far post, and the ball behind Butez's back after the defender's header, meaning that the visitors turned the tables in just a quarter of an hour!

Even after the Nerazzurri completed their comeback, I Lariani did not lose their composure. On the contrary, Sommer once again had to save his team in the 70th minute, stopping Paz's free-kick effort.

Nevertheless, the combination of wasted chances and defensive errors proved to be too costly for Fabregas crew, as Dumfries made it 4-2 just two minutes later, definitely crushing Como's hopes of tripping the rivals in the title race.

Fabregas' men did reduce the gap in the 88th minute through Lucas Da Cunha, who was impeccable from the spot, but they didn't have enough strength to totally shock the Serie A table-toppers, though Ramon hit the bar in added time.

SERIE A ROUND 32

Friday

Roma - Pisa 3-0 (2-0)

/Malen 3, 43, 52/

Saturday

Cagliari - Cremonese 1-0 (0-0)

/Esposito 63/

Torino - Verona 2-1 (1-1)

/Simeone 6, Casadei 50 - Bowie 38/

Milan - Udinese 0-3 (0-2)

/Barthesagi 27 og, Ekkelenkamp 37, Atta 71/

Atalanta - Juventus 0-1 (0-0)

/Boga 48/

Sunday

Genoa - Sassuolo 2-1 (1-0)

/Malinovskyi 18, Ekuban 84 - Kone 57/

Parma - Napoli 1-1 (1-0)

/Strefezza 1 - McTominay 60/

Bologna - Lecce 2-0 (1-0)

/Freuler 26, Orsolini 90+2/

Como - Inter Milan 3-4 (2-1)

/Valle 36, Paz 45, Da Cunha 88 pen - Thuram 45+2, 49, Dumfries 59, 72/

Monday

21.45: (2.35) Fiorentina (3.30) Lazio (3.10)

***odds are subject to change***