Substitutes Alexis Saelemaekers and Artem Dovbyk completed the Roma comeback against 10-man Como after a Lucas Da Cunha opener for a fourth straight Serie A win.
The Giallorossi were unbeaten since their last meeting with Como, a 2-0 defeat on December 15, managing seven Serie A victories and three draws. Dovbyk was still not fully fit, but Matias Soulè was moved to a wide right role and Mats Hummels again benched. Como were coming off back-to-back wins over Fiorentina and Napoli, but Alberto Dossena, Ivan Azon and Ignace van der Brempt were injured, with coach Cesc Fabregas sitting out a touchline ban.
Marc Kempf nodded a Lucas Da Cunha cross over the bar from a short corner, while Paulo Dybala fired straight at Jean Butez with his weaker right foot on the Soule lay-off.
Roma were struggling to make any impact and Como took the lead just before half-time when Maxi Perrone timed the through ball perfectly for Da Cunha to get around Gianluca Mancini and slip the finish past the on-rushing Mile Svilar.
Dovbyk and Stephan El Shaarawy came on for the restart, while the hosts were furious that Ivan Smolcic risked a second yellow card for a sliding tackle on El Shaarawy.
Patrick Cutrone sprung the offside trap only to sweep straight at Svilar, but Roma equalised with super-sub Saelemaekers, who had been on the pitch for barely 120 seconds when he scored.
Saelemaekers got down the right, combined with Zeki Celik, a touch sent Alex Valle to ground and he was fortunate to see the finish deflected to loop up over Butez into the net.
Moments later, Como were reduced to 10 men as Marc Kempf received his second yellow card for bringing down Dybala.
Como had the ball in the net anyway with Assane Diao, but Patrick Cutrone was already offside when rolling across the assist.
Celik went off with an adductor issue, but Roma turned the game around with three substitutes combining. Bryan Cristante’s ball over the top sent Devyne Rensch down the right, he volleyed it across and Dovbyk got between two defenders to prod home from six yards.
However, 10-man Como were still in the game and on 88 minutes Mergim Vojvoda’s right-foot curler bounced off the far post, with Cutrone’s rebound parried by Svilar.
El Shaarawy also wasted the opportunity to put it beyond doubt, stumbling before the finish against Butez.
Roma 2-1 Como
Da Cunha 44 (C), Saelemaekers 61 (R), Dovbyk 76 (R)
Sent off: Kempf 63 (C)
