Roma’s afternoon at Como turned on the 53rd minute, when Donyell Malen was sent off for a reckless challenge on Como defender Kaiki.
The decisive moment at Como
- Malen, playing as Roma’s central forward, went into the tackle with his leg raised and caught Kaiki in an uncontrolled challenge.
- Referee Fabbri produced a red card, a decision that left Roma with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
- Fabbri was later forced off through injury and was replaced by Sozza.
Roma accepted little argument over the dismissal itself, with the challenge viewed as deserving of a straight red card. Their frustration instead concerned the build-up: the Giallorossi felt Malen had been fouled before the incident that brought his afternoon to an abrupt end.
For Roma, the episode became the defining fracture in the contest. A game that had been balanced by its own tension was reshaped by the loss of their striker, while Como were given the advantage of facing a side reduced in numbers.
