Serie A | Como 3-1 Lecce: Jesus Rodriguez finally gets first goal

Como completed a comeback from a shock opener to beat Lecce 3-1, as Jesus Rodriguez celebrated both an assist and his first Serie A goal.

The Lariani were in the thick of the race for a Champions League spot after beating Juventus 2-0 and holding Milan to a draw. Nico Paz returned from suspension, yet was rested ahead of the Coppa Italia semi-final with Inter, but Martin Baturina had an ankle injury, and the season was over for Jayden Addai after a torn Achilles tendon. Lecce’s run of two consecutive victories was stalled by a 2-0 defeat to Inter, with Kialonda Gaspar, Medon Berisha and Francesco Camarda sidelined. They changed to a 3-5-2 formation.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Wladimiro Falcone used his legs to parry when one-on-one with Tasos Douvikas, but it was Lecce who took the lead against the run of play with their first chance.

Lameck Banda got down the left and whipped in a right-footed cross, finding Lassana Coulibaly for a completely free header into the far top corner from seven yards. The Como defenders had totally lost sight of the midfielder.

Jesus Rodriguez should’ve equalised moments later, but ballooned over from 12 yards on the Ignace van der Brempt pull-back.

He made up for it when running onto the Maxi Perrone through ball and rolled across from the left, where Douvikas only had to prod in from six yards.

Como turned the game around completely, as Coulibaly slipped in midfield to spark the counter, with another great Perrone assist sending Jesus Rodriguez through to dribble around Falcone. He deposited into the empty net for his first Serie A goal after many attempts this season.

The hosts added a third on the stroke of half-time, as everyone expected Lucas Da Cunha to go for goal from his free kick, but instead he floated it over the top for the Marc-Oliver Kempf diving free header.

Remarkably, that was the first time since October 1987 against Ascoli that Como had scored three goals in the first half of a Serie A match.

Douvikas nodded a Da Cunha corner inches wide of the far post, while a crucial block prevented the Nico Paz tap-in from Ignace van der Brempt’s pull-back.

Nico Paz also couldn’t get enough on the Maxence Caqueret slide-rule pass as he went sliding in on the counter-attack, poking it into the arms of Falcone.

Assane Diao and Gaby Jean both made their comebacks from serious injuries, Diao immediately sprinting through to force Falcone to make a save with his legs from close range.

Alvaro Morata had penalty appeals waved away for a coming together with Jamil Siebert, which forced him off injured in stoppages.

Como 3-1 Lecce

Banda 14 (L), Douvikas 19 (C), Jesus Rodriguez 36 (C), Kempf 44 (C)