Serie A | Como 1-1 Bologna: Baturina magic, Cambiaghi hero and villain

A moment of magic from Martin Baturina in stoppages secured a point for Como against 10-man Bologna, as Niccolò Cambiaghi scored and was then sent off.

This was a surprising head-to-head for Europe between sixth and eighth, although both had a game in hand too. Jacobo Ramon was suspended for the hosts after three consecutive victories, with Assane Diao, Jayden Addai, Alvaro Morata and Edoardo Goldaniga injured. The Rossoblu were struggling in Serie A lately, managing just two points from the last six rounds. Lukasz Skorupski and Federico Bernardeschi were still out of action.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Bologna came flying out the blocks and almost scored in the opening minute, as Jean Butez was forced into an extraordinary save from point-blank range on Remo Freuler’s pull-back for Niccolò Cambiaghi.

Jesus Rodriguez also pulled a tricky save out of Federico Ravaglia after cutting inside two defenders to get the strike away, while Nico Paz pounced on a Jhon Lucumi error to test the goalkeeper off his line. Lucumi sustained a muscular problem during that move and was replaced by Martin Vitik.

Lucas Da Cunha drilled wide from the edge of the area on another smart Jesus Rodriguez run, then on the stroke of half-time a decisive Remo Freuler interception prevented the Tasos Douvikas tap-in on a Da Cunha roll across from the left.

Jesus Rodriguez continued to impress, dribbling past three to fire wide of the near post, but it was Bologna who opened the scoring somewhat against the run of play.

Santiago Castro robbed Mergim Vojvoda and laid it off for Cambiaghi, who shimmied past one defender, then prodded the finish through the legs of Marc-Oliver Kempf to surprise Butez from 10 yards. It was his first goal since October.

Bologna threatened a second, as Castro couldn’t get enough on the Tommaso Pobega pull-back from six yards.

However, the game changed in a debatable incident. Ignace van der Brempt barged into the back of Cambiaghi, who reacted by lifting up an elbow to catch the Como man in the face. Following a VAR review, the referee changed his original verdict of a yellow for Cambiaghi to red, while also booking van der Brempt.

Como were awarded after four minutes when Vitik had his arms around Douvikas, who did very little to stay on his feet. However, VAR intervened here too and the referee changed his mind, noting there wasn’t enough to warrant a spot-kick.

Moments later, Nico Paz saw his left-foot strike thump the inside of the far post and roll along the line, but not over it, as Como were denied by millimetres.

Jesus Rodriguez pulled across from the left into the six-yard box, but Douvikas could only prod it wide of the near post.

It remained wide open, Vitik’s header charged down from a Lewis Ferguson free kick, but Como snatched the point deep into stoppages when Martin Baturina took on two defenders, cut inside and bent a magnificent right-foot finish into the far top corner.

Cambiaghi 49 (B), Baturina 94 (C)

Sent off: Cambiaghi 60 (B)