Genoa 1-4 Como: Diao Brace and Nico Paz Push Fàbregas’ Unbeaten Side Into Early Serie A Spotlight

GENOA, Italy, September 4, 2026: Como arrived at the Luigi Ferraris carrying one of the more intriguing questions of the new Serie A season.

Was last year’s fourth-place finish and Champions League qualification the peak of a remarkable rise, or the beginning of something more durable?

Three league matches into 2026-27, Cesc Fàbregas’ side are beginning to supply a convincing answer.

Como beat Genoa 4-1 on Friday night, with Martin Baturina, Assane Diao and Nico Paz turning a difficult opening into another statement result. Diao scored twice, while Baturina and Paz added one each as Como recovered from conceding first and then overwhelmed Daniele De Rossi’s side.

Milutin Osmajic gave Genoa the lead in the 19th minute, but Como responded almost immediately. Baturina equalized in the 25th, Diao made it 2-1 five minutes later, and Paz stretched the advantage to 3-1 before halftime. Diao completed the scoring in the 78th minute.

The result takes Como to seven points from three Serie A matches after an opening draw at Udinese and a 2-1 victory away to Napoli.

Genoa remain on zero after three rounds.

The gap between the teams is becoming about more than one scoreline.

Como are learning how to turn difficult away matches into points. Genoa are learning that competitive periods mean very little when every mistake becomes expensive.

The Sports Encounter’s complete Serie A 2026-27 preview identified Como as one of the most dangerous teams outside the traditional title group because Fàbregas had retained Nico Paz while strengthening a squad preparing for Champions League football.

The first three matches have strengthened that argument.

Genoa 1-4 Como: Match at a Glance

The official Lega Serie A website provides the full Matchday 3 schedule, standings and competition information.

Genoa Strike First Through Milutin Osmajic

The opening 20 minutes suggested that Genoa might finally be ready to turn competitive football into a league result.

De Rossi’s side entered the match without a Serie A point and without a league goal through their opening two fixtures.

They had lost 2-0 at home to Napoli and then 1-0 away to Lazio.

That made Osmajic’s 19th-minute goal important for more than the score.

It was Genoa’s first league goal of the season and briefly gave the home crowd something the team had struggled to create in August: a game state they could protect rather than chase.

The problem was how little time Genoa enjoyed that advantage.

Martin Baturina Answers Within Six Minutes

Baturina equalized in the 25th minute.

The Croatian midfielder had already scored in Como’s 2-1 win at Napoli during Matchday 2, and his latest contribution reinforced a useful early pattern.

Como are receiving goals from several areas rather than relying entirely on one forward.

Baturina’s arrival into advanced positions creates another problem for opponents already occupied by Paz, Diao and Tasos Douvikas.

His equalizer also prevented Genoa from settling into a deeper structure around the lead.

Six minutes after the home breakthrough, the match was level again.

Assane Diao Turns the Game Completely

Diao required another five minutes to change the lead.

His first goal arrived in the 30th minute and put Como 2-1 ahead.

The timing was devastating for Genoa because the hosts moved from their first league lead of the season to trailing inside 11 minutes.

Diao’s contribution also underlined why Como’s attacking depth looks stronger than it did during the early stages of their rise.

Fàbregas can now move between different attacking profiles without changing the central idea of his football.

Diao offers direct running and acceleration.

Paz can operate between midfield and defense.

Baturina gives another player capable of progressing the ball and arriving around the box.

Douvikas occupies central defenders and provides a more traditional finishing reference.

That variety becomes difficult to manage once Como establish rhythm.

Nico Paz Makes It 3-1 Before Halftime

Paz scored Como’s third in the 40th minute.

By halftime, the match had moved completely away from Genoa.

The Argentine remains the creative reference point of Fàbregas’ project and was one of the central players highlighted in The Sports Encounter’s early Serie A title-race analysis.

Keeping Paz during the summer may prove as important as any transfer Como completed.

Last season he repeatedly helped the team connect midfield possession with attacking movement. The challenge this year is sustaining that influence while opponents prepare more specifically for him.

Genoa knew what he could do.

They still could not prevent him from scoring.

Como’s First-Half Response Was the Most Impressive Part of the Night

The final score creates the impression that Como controlled the entire match.

The more useful detail is how they responded after falling behind.

Como scored three times in 15 minutes after the equalizer.

That is the type of response that separates a team capable of competing around the European places from one still dependent on game momentum.

They did not spend 20 minutes reacting emotionally to conceding.

They accelerated.

Assane Diao Completes the Statement in the 78th Minute

Diao’s second goal arrived in the 78th minute.

By then the result was already heavily tilted toward Como, but the fourth goal mattered because it removed any possibility of a late Genoa recovery.

It also gave Diao a brace in a match where his movement repeatedly stretched the home defense.

That kind of production is particularly useful before Como’s European schedule begins.

Champions League football will force Fàbregas to rotate his attacking players.

A team entering Europe for the first time cannot depend entirely on one combination.

Diao’s performance gives Como another reason to believe their squad is becoming deep enough to survive both competitions.

Como Have Taken Seven Points From Three Away Matches

Perhaps the most remarkable part of Como’s opening month is that all three league fixtures have been away from home.

The opening-weekend draw at Udinese was already treated positively in The Sports Encounter’s Serie A Matchday 1 wrap.

Como then produced the bigger result at Napoli.

The official club report confirmed that Baturina opened the scoring before Douvikas restored the lead in the 35th minute to complete a 2-1 victory at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

That win made the trip to Genoa interesting.

Friday’s result makes the pattern harder to ignore.

Seven Points From Udine, Naples and Genoa Changes the Conversation

Como entered the campaign with Champions League football creating the biggest uncertainty around their domestic prospects.

The question was never whether the first XI contained enough quality.

Last season had already answered that.

Fàbregas took Como to fourth place with 71 points, 65 goals scored and only 29 conceded.

The Sports Encounter’s season curtain raiser argued that Europe would test the club’s depth more than its tactical identity.

Seven points from three away games give Como an excellent platform before that extra workload begins.

Champions League Football Arrives Next Week

Como’s attention now shifts toward a new chapter in club history.

Their Champions League league-phase campaign begins against RB Leipzig on September 10.

The official Como Champions League ticket announcement confirms that the club is preparing for four home league-phase nights.

The timing gives Friday’s win additional value.

Como can enter Europe with domestic momentum rather than spending the opening weeks trying to repair their Serie A position.

Fàbregas Has Built a Team That No Longer Looks Surprised by Success

Last season, Como’s rise could still be discussed as an extraordinary story.

That framing is becoming outdated.

They finished fourth.

They qualified for the Champions League.

They retained key players.

They have now started the new season unbeaten.

The tactical structure also looks established enough that Como do not need ideal game states to perform.

They drew after going behind at Udinese.

They beat Napoli away.

They went behind against Genoa and scored four.

Those are three different challenges.

Como found a solution to each.

Nico Paz, Baturina and Diao Are Giving Como a Dangerous Three-Line Attack

The attacking structure is becoming one of the most interesting elements of Serie A’s opening weeks.

Baturina has already scored in consecutive league matches.

Paz remains the creative center.

Diao has now produced a two-goal performance.

Douvikas has already scored twice this season and remains a central reference.

This matters because successful possession teams sometimes become predictable when all progression flows through one player.

Como appear less vulnerable to that problem.

Paz can still dictate.

He no longer has to dictate everything.

Genoa’s Situation Is Becoming Serious Earlier Than Expected

For Genoa, the result creates a very different early-season picture.

Three matches.

Three defeats.

The first two came without scoring.

The third produced a first league goal but also four conceded.

De Rossi’s project was one of the managerial stories highlighted in The Sports Encounter’s Serie A preview.

There was reason for optimism because Genoa had enough technical and midfield quality to occupy the competitive middle of the division.

The opening results have placed that optimism under immediate pressure.

Genoa Have Now Lost Twice at Home

The home results are particularly damaging.

Napoli won 2-0 at the Luigi Ferraris on Matchday 1.

Como have now won 4-1 there.

That means Genoa have conceded six goals across two home league fixtures while collecting nothing.

A mid-table side can survive difficult away results.

Repeated home defeats create a much harder season.

Genoa now need their next stretch to establish a reliable base quickly.

Osmajic’s Goal Is One of the Few Immediate Positives

Osmajic at least ended Genoa’s scoring drought.

The importance of that goal should not disappear completely because of what followed.

Genoa had failed to score against Napoli and Lazio.

Breaking that sequence can help attacking confidence.

The concern is what happened after the goal.

A team fighting for its first points cannot concede three times before halftime after moving ahead at home.

That is where De Rossi’s biggest work lies.

Como Are Quietly Becoming Part of the Upper-Serie A Conversation

The early title conversation has understandably centered on Inter, Roma, Milan, Juventus and the other traditional powers.

Roma have been particularly impressive, opening with two four-goal victories. The Sports Encounter’s analysis of Roma’s 4-0 win at Lecce showed how quickly Gasperini’s second-season structure has developed.

Atalanta have also remained perfect, including a dramatic 96th-minute victory over Bologna.

Como now belong in the next layer of that discussion.

Seven points from three away fixtures is too substantial to dismiss as an easy opening schedule.

Napoli and Genoa away are exactly the kinds of matches teams competing around the Champions League places need to survive.

Como have won both.

The Early Serie A Table Is Becoming More Interesting

Matchday 3 has only just started, so the table will continue changing throughout the weekend.

Como have nevertheless already done enough to put pressure on the clubs playing after them.

Seven points means Fàbregas’ team remain unbeaten and can watch the weekend’s major fixtures from a strong position.

Inter face Napoli.

Juventus meet Milan.

Roma host Atalanta.

Several teams near the top therefore have to take points directly from one another.

Como have already banked theirs.

Why This Matters Before Inter, Napoli and Juventus-Milan

Friday’s fixture was the opening match of a fascinating Serie A weekend.

The official Matchday 3 schedule includes Inter-Napoli, Roma-Atalanta and Juventus-Milan.

Those fixtures guarantee dropped points among leading clubs.

Como’s victory therefore has table implications beyond Genoa.

A seven-point start gives them enough early security to treat Champions League football as an opportunity rather than an immediate threat to domestic survival.

Como’s Rise Is Becoming One of Serie A’s Most Important Structural Stories

The broader significance goes beyond three matches.

Serie A has spent several years asking whether clubs outside the traditional powers can build something sustainable.

Atalanta provided one model.

Bologna produced another.

Como are creating their own.

The project combines strong investment with a clear coaching identity, young attacking talent and a willingness to recruit players capable of developing rather than simply arriving with reputation.

Fàbregas is central to that structure.

The club is no longer succeeding because opponents underestimate it.

Everyone knows what Como are capable of.

They are still winning.

The Sports Encounter Verdict

Como’s 4-1 victory at Genoa matters because of the pattern around it.

They drew at Udinese.

They won at Napoli.

They have now won at Genoa.

Every one of their opening league matches has been away from home.

They remain unbeaten.

Friday’s match also showed another step in their development.

Genoa scored first.

Como did not lose structure.

Baturina equalized.

Diao changed the lead.

Paz created separation.

Diao finished the job.

That sequence looked like a team accustomed to solving problems rather than hoping momentum solves them.

Champions League football will create a much harder workload beginning next week.

The question around Como is therefore still alive.

Can this squad maintain its domestic standard while entering Europe for the first time?

Seven points from three away games gives Fàbregas an excellent place to begin finding out.

For continuing Serie A, Champions League and global football coverage, visit The Sports Encounter Soccer Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Genoa vs Como score?

Como defeated Genoa 4-1 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Serie A Matchday 3.

Who scored for Como against Genoa?

Martin Baturina, Assane Diao and Nico Paz scored for Como. Diao scored twice.

Who scored Genoa’s goal?

Milutin Osmajic gave Genoa the lead in the 19th minute.

When did Assane Diao score?

Diao scored in the 30th and 78th minutes.

How many points do Como have after three matches?

Como have seven points from three matches after two wins and one draw.

Are Como unbeaten in Serie A?

Yes. Como opened with a 1-1 draw at Udinese before beating Napoli 2-1 and Genoa 4-1.

How many points do Genoa have?

Genoa remain without a point after losing their opening three league matches.

Who scored Como’s third goal?

Nico Paz scored in the 40th minute to give Como a 3-1 lead before halftime.

Who do Como play next in Europe?

Como begin their UEFA Champions League league-phase campaign against RB Leipzig on September 10, 2026.

How did Como perform last season?

Como finished fourth in Serie A in 2025-26 and qualified for the UEFA Champions League.