Como 0–0 Roma: A Clean Sheet, an Extra Man and a Missed Opportunity

A point against an unbeaten Roma side ought to feel reasonably satisfying. Give Como an extra player for most of the second half, though, and satisfaction becomes a much more complicated business.

Sunday’s 0–0 at the Sinigaglia left us with both feelings. Relief that the defensive zero finally appeared. Frustration that, after Donyell Malen’s dismissal in the 53rd minute, we could not put anything beside our own name on the scoreboard.

There was plenty to admire, enough to regret and very little justification for calling this a dull game. The Lega Serie A report records it as the first goalless draw of the league season. Somehow, these two teams had volunteered.

Roma made us work for that clean sheet

The final statistics should not erase the opening exchanges. Roma began with purpose, and Jean Butez had work to do before Como had settled.

Paulo Dybala tested him early after combining with Malen. Lorenzo Pellegrini then struck the post in the 11th minute. Those were uncomfortable reminders of how quickly Roma can move from possession to a proper chance.

Como had opportunities too. Nico Paz was denied by Pierluigi Gollini, while Maxence Caqueret went close after carrying the ball forward. The game had the energy we had hoped for, with rather more anxiety attached than anyone had requested.

Gollini was starting in place of the injured Mile Svilar. If there had been any hope that the change in goalkeeper might make Roma easier to beat, his performance soon discouraged it. Chiesa di Totti’s review understandably celebrates his composure and Roma’s resilience. From our side, he was an increasingly irritating presence—which is usually a compliment to an opposition goalkeeper.

The clean sheet matters because Como had conceded in each of their first five league games. It was not achieved without scares, and the dismissal reduced Roma’s attacking threat considerably. Still, keeping this opponent out is something to build on after Frosinone.

Caqueret took his opportunity

Fàbregas gave Kaiki the start at left-back and brought Caqueret into the attacking midfield line, with Máximo Perrone alongside Lucas Da Cunha deeper in midfield. Álex Valle, Martin Baturina and Luis Milla began on the bench. The ForzaComo match centre has the complete starting teams and match events.

Caqueret’s inclusion was particularly interesting. Afterwards, Fàbregas explained that he had liked what he saw from him in training and felt he deserved the opportunity. He also acknowledged the need to manage a player who is outside the Champions League squad, as reported by EspansioneTV.

That is a sensible use of the squad. Players who cannot contribute in Europe still need meaningful domestic responsibility, and Caqueret offered a reminder that he can provide it. His willingness to advance with the ball gave Como another way to get towards goal when the familiar connections were difficult to find.

With matches arriving so quickly now, we will need more players making a case for themselves. Sunday offered some encouragement on that front.

The red card changed the question

There was already irritation before half-time when Assane Diao went down under a challenge from Wesley and play continued. Diao was booked for protesting. Quotidiano Sportivo’s account captures the frustration around that incident.

Then Malen lunged into a challenge on Kaiki and received a straight red. The referee’s decision put Roma down to ten with more than half an hour, plus stoppage time, remaining.

From then on, the question was how Como would pull apart an opponent with every reason to protect its penalty area. Having an extra player gave us a substantial advantage. It did not guarantee that the useful spaces would open by themselves.

Roma deserve credit for how they responded. The back line stayed difficult to penetrate, and Gollini continued to deal with the threats that reached him. But crediting the opposition does not remove the disappointment. This was a chance to turn a competitive performance into an important win.

Chances came; the finish did not

Perrone sent a promising opportunity over. Douvikas found the side-netting. Paz forced Gollini into another save, and Jesús Rodríguez went close late on. There were enough moments to keep a goal feeling possible right up to the end.

Even the referee had to be substituted, with the injured Michael Fabbri replaced by Simone Sozza. Seven added minutes prolonged the search, but did not produce the release we wanted.

Sky’s full-time statistics put Como’s possession at 65.9%, with 19 shots to Roma’s nine. Only four of our attempts were on target, against two for the visitors.

The red card is essential context for those totals. They do not mean Como dominated every phase of the match. They do show how much of the afternoon eventually belonged to our search for a breakthrough—and how rarely that search ended with a shot testing the goalkeeper.

My frustration is with the quality of the final decision as much as the finishing. When a team retreats, another hurried attempt can let it reset. A better pass, an extra movement or a switch to the other side can force defenders to make a new decision. We needed more of those uncomfortable decisions from Roma.

Fàbregas’s assessment was similarly measured: Como had not used the numerical advantage well enough and needed greater patience alongside faster circulation of the ball. He also took encouragement from avoiding counter-attacks while pushing for the winner.

That combination matters. Moving the ball faster does not require trying to finish every attack faster. The aim is to move the defenders until the opening is worth taking.

A point worth keeping, a lesson worth learning

I do not want to dismiss a clean sheet against Roma simply because the afternoon offered more. Nor do I want to pretend an extra man for that long is an opportunity we should be content to let pass.

Both judgments can stand. Como competed, found ways to threaten and avoided another defeat. They also left a vulnerable opponent with a point it had to work hard to preserve.

The official match report confirms that attention now turns to Feyenoord away on Wednesday, with kick-off at 18:45 CEST. There is barely time to put this draw down before picking up a very different challenge.

For me, the useful response is to carry the defensive concentration into Rotterdam and demand more precision when chances arrive. There is no need to lose faith in the attacking quality of this team. There is plenty of reason to ask it for a better return.

We wanted a response after Frosinone, and we got enough of one to feel steadier. We also wanted a winner against ten men, and that disappointment will linger. Next time the game opens a door like this, Como need to walk through it.