Serie A: Como Edges Venezia in Chaotic Match

A chaotic Serie A match saw Como edge ahead, only for Venezia to level in the dying minutes. Catch the match recap.

Venezia and Como played out a chaotic and unpredictable match, with the inclement weather conditions only adding to the drama. One of the most bizarre moments came when Gaetano Oristanio scored directly from a corner kick, catching the Venezia defense off guard. This match was a crucial relegation battle between two of the bottom three teams in the league, with only three points separating them going into the weekend.

Both teams were desperate for points, with Venezia having lost their previous four matches. The Lagunari were also missing key midfielder Alfred Duncan, although goalkeeper Jesse Joronen did return to the bench. Meanwhile, Como had been struggling to find consistency, with only three draws in their last eight matches. The team was also dealing with several injuries, including those to Maxi Perrone, Sergi Roberto, and Alberto Moreno.

The match got off to a lively start, with Gabriel Strefezza forcing a spectacular save from Como goalkeeper Filip Stankovic in the opening minutes. However, it was Venezia who took the lead, albeit with a slice of good fortune. Hans Nicolussi Caviglia's long-range snapshot appeared to be under control, but it took a decisive deflection off Joel Pohjanpalo's ankle, completely wrong-footing Pepe Reina. Pohjanpalo was being kept onside by Marco Sala, which added to the confusion.

Como pushed hard for an equalizer, and they came close when Nico Paz's effort was deflected, but Stankovic made an acrobatic save to deny the visitors. However, Como's persistence eventually paid off in bizarre circumstances after the restart. A corner kick was swung into the box, but the wind and rain caused the cross to move mid-air, catching Antonio Candela off guard. The Venezia defender attempted to clear the ball but ended up shin-kicking it into his own net, leveling the score in a freakish turn of events.

Como had a glorious opportunity to take the lead moments after equalizing, as Fadera led a swift counterattack and set up Gabriel Strefezza. However, Strefezza's angled drive was astonishingly wide of the far post, a miss that would prove costly. Venezia goalkeeper Pepe Reina was also called into action, making a sharp save to push Joel Pohjanpalo's low strike around the base of the near post.

Como eventually took the lead, courtesy of a well-crafted goal. Ignace van der Brempt made a surging run down the right flank before pulling the ball back from the byline for Andrea Belotti to sweep in first-time from six yards. The Venezia defense was caught out, and Belotti had a simple tap-in to put Como ahead. The match was end-to-end, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. Venezia's defense was stretched to the limit, with Marc Kempf making a sensational sliding tackle to block Gaetano Oristanio's shot from seven yards.

The pressure eventually told, as Venezia equalized from the resulting corner. Oristanio swung the ball directly into the far top corner, taking advantage of the windy conditions to catch Pepe Reina off guard. The goal was a stunning example of Oristanio's set-piece expertise, and it brought Venezia back on level terms in a pulsating match.

Hans Nicolussi Caviglia unleashed a ferocious free kick that tested Pepe Reina's reflexes, and he followed it up with an even more spectacular screamer from outside the box that beat the veteran goalkeeper. However, the 88th-minute goal was ultimately disallowed by the referee, who deemed that Joel Pohjanpalo was offside and interfering with play, having received a layoff from Marc Kempf.