Como takes control of Serie A's final Champions League spot with 5-0 win over Pisa

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Como's Assane Diao, right, scores their side's first goal of the game during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Pisa in Como, Italy, Sunday March 22, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Assane Diao celebrates after scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Pisa in Como, Italy, Sunday March 22, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP) — Como's Assane Diao, right, scores their side's first goal of the game during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Pisa in Como, Italy, Sunday March 22, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

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11:03 AM on Sunday, March 22

The Associated Press

ROME (AP) — Como took control of Serie A’s final Champions League spot by thrashing relegation-threatened Pisa 5-0 on Sunday for its fifth straight victory in Serie A.

The victory boosted Cesc Fabregas’ club three points clear of fifth-place Juventus, which was held to a 1-1 draw by Sassuolo on Saturday.

Assane Diao, Anastasios Douvikas, Martin Baturina, Nico Paz and Maximo Perrone scored for the hosts.

Douvikas' 11th goal of the season made him the first Como player with that many scores in the top flight since Giuseppe Baldini scored 13 and Renato Cattaneo 11 in 1951-52.

Como’s win came three days after one of Como’s owners, Indonesian tobacco billionaire Michael Bambang Hartono, died at 86.

Hartono and his brother, Roberto Budi Hartono, took over Como in 2019 when the team was playing in Italy’s fourth division.

Como returned to Serie A in 2024 for the first time in more than two decades.

Later, Serie A leader Inter Milan was visiting Fiorentina and Roma was hosting Lecce.

Taylor's brace

Lazio’s January signing Kenneth Taylor scored two second-half goals in a 2-0 win at Bologna that enabled the Roman club to leapfrog the hosts into eighth place.

A Netherlands international, the 23-year-old Taylor was purchased by Maurizio Sarri’s club from Ajax for 17 million euros ($20 million).

Lazio goalkeeper Edoardo Motta — playing in just his third Serie A match — saved a penalty from Riccardo Orsolini in the 51st with the score 0-0.

It was Lazio’s third straight win.

Also, seventh-place Atalanta bounced back from a Champions League loss to Bayern Munich with a 1-0 victory over Hellas Verona as Davide Zappacosta scored before the break.

Midfielder Marten de Roon was celebrated before kickoff as he made a club-record 436th appearance for Atalanta across all competitions.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer