Serie A | Como 0-0 Atalanta: Nico Paz frustrated by heroic 10-man Dea

Atalanta were down to 10 for practically the entire match after an Honest Ahanor reaction foul, but Como were frustrated and Marco Carnesecchi saved Nico Paz’s last-gasp penalty.

This was a battle for ambition and Europe, as sixth hosted seventh in the Serie A table. Cesc Fabregas had won five of the last seven Serie A games and was fresh off a midweek 3-1 Coppa Italia victory over Fiorentina. La Dea lost 1-0 to Union Saint-Gilloise, but still swept into the Champions League play-offs. Their Serie A form was better, picking up 13 points from five rounds. Ademola Lookman was left out pending a transfer.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It was a dramatic start to the match, as within eight minutes Atalanta went down to 10 men. Maxi Perrone was saying something to Honest Ahanor, who reacted angrily by shoving him in the face during an off the ball incident. The referee did not see it, but showed the red card to Ahanor and the yellow to Perrone after consulting with his assistants.

Tasos Douvikas failed to make the most of an inspired Martin Baturina pass that sent him clear, while Douvikas and Jacobo Ramon also turned headers just off target.

Douvikas was sent through the middle by Baturina only to scuff the weak finish into the arms of Marco Carnesecchi, followed by Nico Paz doing the same on a Douvikas lay-off.

Carnesecchi parried a powerful Nico Paz snapshot and Giorgio Scalvini threw himself in the way to prevent Perrone tapping in the rebound.

Mergim Vojvoda also tested the Atalanta goalkeeper, while Carnesecchi rushed out to stop Jacobo Ramon turning in the deflected Marc-Oliver Kempf attempt at the near post.

Raoul Bellanova made his return after two months out with a thigh injury, and 10-man Atalanta nearly took the lead straight after the restart. Charles De Ketelaere sent Kamaldeen Sulemana on the counter, forcing a difficult one-handed Jean Butez save after sending Jacobo Ramon to ground.

Ramon had several chances at the other end, a header over and angled drive skimming the far post, but Douvikas was once again wasteful when he failed to connect with a Jayden Addai roll across from five yards.

Meanwhile, the Atalanta counter-attacks were getting more frequent, Nikola Krstovic nodding a Lorenzo Bernasconi cross wide.

Alvaro Morata was incorrectly flagged offside when his angled drive shaved a coat of paint off the far post, then his free header was straight at Carnesecchi after Giorgio Scalvini slipped.

Ederson drilled wide, but Carnesecchi was again decisive on Jacobo Ramon, who controlled a ball with his chest, let it bounce and flicked it around Bernasconi to force the save from point-blank range.

Deep into stoppages, VAR spotted that Scalvini had struck the ball with his hand when going to head it away and Como were awarded a penalty. Nico Paz had missed his previous two spot-kicks in Serie A, and made it three out of three when Carnesecchi parried his fairly weak and central attempt at the 98th minute.

Saved penalty: Nico Paz 98 (C)