Torino got back to winning ways after a run of three consecutive 3-2 losses in Serie A, recording a 1-0 victory at home against Cesc Fabregas’s Como on Friday evening, thanks to a scrappy goal from second-half substitute Alieu Njie.
Torino had come in off the back of a worrying run of form, having lost all of their last three Serie A matches by 3-2 scorelines. Paolo Vanoli’s side had led the league table after five matches.
It was the reverse story for Como, who had struggled in the early stages of the season, but have since steadied the ship with two consecutive 3-2 victories, plus a draw and a loss in their last four matches.
Como were dealt a blow just after the half-hour mark as former Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto went off injured.
Scotland international Che Adams thought he had put the hosts in front mid-way through the second-half, but his goal was eventually ruled out for offside. That was by far the closest that either team came to a goal in the opening 45 minutes.
Torino began to apply some pressure at the beginning of the second half, forcing crucial interventions from both Edoardo Goldaniga and goalkeeper Emil Audero around the 53rd and 54th minutes.
Como’s Nico Paz and Gabriel Strefezza had encouraging efforts of their own around 25 minutes from time, but neither of those ended up in the back of the net.
The eventual breakthrough came in slightly chaotic fashion with 74 minutes on the clock.
Alieu Njie went up for a header near the edge of the Como penalty area, scrapped for the follow-up, capitalised on a hospital header backwards from Matthias Braunöder and then managed to take a heavy touch around Audero before tucking the ball into the back of the net.
Torino are now back up to sixth place in Serie A with 14 points as a result of their triumph over Como, who are 14th on nine points. Both positions can still change depending on results from the remaining seven Serie A fixtures this weekend.
Full-time in Serie A: Torino 1-0 Como
Njie 75′.
