Como cruise to victory and clinch Champions League football with Cremonese relegated

[p]Only traditional giants Inter Milan and Juventus had landed more shots on target than [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/como/ttyLthOA/"]Como[/a]’s 188 before the final round of matches, but the visitors’ attacking advances were limited to only a single shot off-target in the opening quarter-hour in Cremona.[/p][p]Meanwhile, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cremonese/KUzfp5N3/"]Cremonese[/a] had no choice but to translate their best form of defence into attack after relegation rivals Lecce took an early lead against Genoa.[/p][p]However, Marco Giampaolo’s goal-shy side were unable to do anything of note, and Como’s superior attacking threat paid dividends nine minutes before half-time.[/p][p][b]It initially appeared that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodriguez-jesus/v7LsBMfn/"]Jesus Rodriguez[/a]’s effort was heading straight into [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/audero-emil/fwyieeh8/"]Emil Audero[/a]’s arms, but the ball ended up in the back of the net after taking a cruel deflection off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grassi-alberto/E7Jj74nK/"]Alberto Grassi[/a]’s outstretched thigh.[/b][/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="bc970432-e7bd-4162-bff3-b29ebafe90f3" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="b991688c-d611-490a-931a-bf2e055f283a" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p][b]But if Cremonese's fate wasn’t sealed already, it appeared done and dusted six minutes into the second half, as Rodriguez turned provider for top scorer [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/douvikas-anastasios/YgPGkQYi/"]Anastasios Douvikas[/a] to fire past Audero from inside the penalty area for his 14th goal of the season.[/b][/p][p]However, the hosts were handed a lifeline only a few minutes later, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ramon-jacobo/dIvLWqXc/"]Jacobo Ramon[/a] conceded a penalty after bringing down [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vardy-jamie/fP3OohgD/"]Jamie Vardy[/a].[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bonazzoli-federico/pEYPJXO8/"]Federico Bonazzoli[/a] didn’t need to be told twice about the importance of his impending task, as he confidently converted the resulting spot-kick to give his side hope. [/b][/p][p]Remarkably, it all went wrong for Cremonese in the space of an unbelievable nine minutes at the Stadio Giovanni Zini.[/p][p]First, referee Fabio Maresca awarded another penalty in the 70th minute - this time in Como’s favour - after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bianchetti-matteo/8hcuiE2b/"]Matteo Bianchetti[/a] clashed with Douvikas.[/p][embed guid="b5091460-a6cc-4afa-8576-3a9a3d1f8914" url="https://x.com/Como_1907/status/2058653210219315670" social-type="twitter" /][p]However, before captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/da-cunha-lucas/IXqHAIWJ/"]Lucas Da Cunha[/a] could lead by example in restoring his side’s two-goal advantage, Grassi saw red for remonstrating against the decision, and substitutes [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/skriniar-milan/EqBuG0nE/"]Milan Duric[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/okereke-david/Mgh0KIVu/"]David Okereke[/a] were also ordered to take an early shower.[/p][p][b]To rub salt into his opponent's opening wounds, Da Cunha bagged a brace seven minutes later, with a fine finish past Audero at his near post to bring Cremonese’s nightmare to an end.[/b][/p][p]Giampaolo’s side cannot really feel hard done by this season after triumphing in only eight of their 38 matches this season, while Como will play European football for only the second-ever time in their history, after their participation in the 1980/81 edition of the Mitropacup.[/p][p]Thanks to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cagliari/SCGVmKHb/"]Cagliari[/a] playing their part against all odds, despite having nothing major to pursue, next season's European jaunt will be far more significant for the Lariani.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/da-cunha-lucas/IXqHAIWJ/"]Lucas Da Cunha[/a] (Como)[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="7c0e13d9-3f62-4d5a-b7c5-2b45d6abe21d" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="31e6d693-b480-4e85-b132-8b1b86c95791" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/como-ttyLthOA/cremonese-KUzfp5N3/?mid=tMbNSi9E"]Click here for more on the match.[/a][/b][/p]