Como's quickfire lead unravels as Feyenoord fight back in Rotterdam
Assane Diao's early goal and injury set the tone for a chaotic afternoon at De Kuip, where Feyenoord overturned a one-goal deficit to hand Como their first ever Champions League defeat.
Como's first competitive defeat in the Champions League arrived in the cruellest fashion: a 3-2 loss at Feyenoord after leading inside 18 minutes, as reported by Football Italia.
The result ended a perfect start to European football for the Lombard club, who had opened their campaign by beating RB Leipzig 4-1. This trip to De Kuip was also the first ever UEFA away fixture in Como's history, with 1,050 travelling supporters in Rotterdam to see it.
Cesc Fabregas had to adapt his XI before kick-off. With Moise Kean unavailable, he pushed Nico Paz into a false nine role and shifted Bruno Kaiki higher up the pitch, while Robert Sanchez made just his second appearance for the club in goal.
Feyenoord, by contrast, had been thumped 5-1 by Barcelona in their previous continental outing, though they arrived at this fixture sitting top of the Eredivisie domestically.
Diao's moment of individual brilliance came at a cost
Como's opener was built entirely on one player's quality. Assane Diao ran onto a long ball from Jacobo Ramon, beat Javi Lopez and curled a left-footed finish past the goalkeeper from a one-on-one position, according to Football Italia's account of the match.
It was the kind of goal that justified Fabregas's attacking setup, with Paz dropping deep to create space for runners like Diao to exploit in behind. But the same action appeared to carry a physical cost. Diao was withdrawn after 23 minutes with what Football Italia described as a muscular issue, possibly sustained in the act of scoring, replaced by Jesus Rodriguez.
Losing Diao so early removed Como's sharpest individual threat in transition, and the side never fully recovered that cutting edge against the ball for the remainder of the match.
A defensive lapse undid the lead almost instantly
Como's advantage lasted barely two minutes. Gjivai Zechiel controlled the ball with his back to goal, turned away from Maxi Perrone and struck a shot from the edge of the area that flew past Sanchez, levelling the score at 1-1 inside the opening 20 minutes.
The speed of the response pointed to a structural issue rather than a one-off error. Como had barely settled into their lead before Zechiel found space to turn and shoot, suggesting the back line had not reorganised quickly enough after going ahead. Martin Baturina also tested Sanchez from distance before the break, while Givairo Read's low effort went through the legs of an offside Mika Marmol, a let-off that hinted at further vulnerability in that defensive line.
Feyenoord's second-half surge proved decisive
The hosts took the lead for the first time just after the restart. Anis Hadj Moussa cut in from the right and drilled a left-footed finish into the near bottom corner, beating both Kaiki and Sanchez's reach, as detailed by Football Italia.
Fabregas responded with a triple substitution, and the changes nearly produced an immediate leveller. Tasos Douvikas headed a cross from Alex Valle over the bar from close range, Lucas Da Cunha's effort was saved, and Nico Paz combined with Perrone in a quick give-and-go that drifted just wide. Hadj Moussa also struck the post from a tight angle after Sanchez got a touch to divert it, underlining how fine the margins were even as Feyenoord pressed for a third.
That third goal, when it came, owed more to fortune than design. Read dispossessed Jesus Rodriguez before Hadj Moussa's shot from the edge of the box took a heavy deflection off Jacobo Ramon, cannoned off the post and went in off Sanchez's back for an own goal, putting Feyenoord 3-1 ahead.
Como continued to push forward, with Paz firing wide and Mattia Liberali forcing a save from the Feyenoord goalkeeper, but the damage had been done. A stoppage-time consolation arrived when Mika Marmol mishandled an attempt to intercept a long ball, allowing Douvikas to pounce on the rebound and finish from close range, making it 3-2 with virtually the last kick of the match.
What the result changes for both sides
The defeat was Como's first in the competition after their emphatic win over Leipzig, a reminder that an attacking approach built around individual quality in the final third can be undone by lapses in defensive organisation, particularly in the moments immediately after taking a lead.
For Feyenoord, the win offered a response to their heavy loss against Barcelona and kept alive their European campaign while they continue to lead the Eredivisie table domestically. Como will look to regroup in their remaining group matches, with the fitness of Diao now a point of concern given the nature of his withdrawal in Rotterdam.