Lens 1-9 Como: Douvikas hat-trick in historic Champions League rout

Como produced one of the most startling scorelines in recent Champions League history on Wednesday night, winning 9-1 away at RC Lens on matchday 4 of the league phase. Tasos Douvikas scored a hat-trick, Nico Paz had a hand in three goals, and Cesc Fàbregas' team – in their first ever Champions League campaign – were 3-0 up at half-time and 6-0 up before the hour at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Italian outlets were quick to call the night historic; Goal described it as an Italian record in the competition. It was also Como's fourth match of the league phase and their third win, after home victories over RB Leipzig and Manchester United.

How the goals came

Douvikas opened the scoring after seven minutes from a short-corner routine finished by Máximo Perrone's delivery to the far post, then doubled the lead on 32 minutes from Álex Valle's low cross. Before the break Paz finished a quick counter-attack that Douvikas set up. Early on, a penalty awarded to Lens for handball against Maxence Caqueret had been overturned after a VAR review – the last moment the hosts looked like getting a foothold.

The second half turned into a procession. Lucas Da Cunha made it 4-0 within two minutes of the restart, Marc-Oliver Kempf headed in from a Luis Milla corner, and Douvikas completed his hat-trick on 57 minutes from Paz's pass. Substitutes then joined in: Mattia Liberali scored and later set up Martin Baturina, and 18-year-old Matteo Papaccioli marked his debut with the ninth goal in stoppage time after a VAR check for offside. Ruben Aguilar's volley from a corner on 65 minutes was the only reply for Lens.

Minute	Score	Scorer
7'	0-1	Tasos Douvikas (Como)
32'	0-2	Tasos Douvikas (Como)
40'	0-3	Nico Paz (Como)
47'	0-4	Lucas Da Cunha (Como)
53'	0-5	Marc-Oliver Kempf (Como)
57'	0-6	Tasos Douvikas (Como)
62'	0-7	Mattia Liberali (Como)
65'	1-7	Ruben Aguilar (Lens)
69'	1-8	Martin Baturina (Como)
90+1'	1-9	Matteo Papaccioli (Como)

The statistics matched the scoreline: Como had 57 per cent of the ball and 12 shots on target from 18 attempts, against three on target for Lens, according to Football Italia.

Douvikas keeps scoring

The Greek striker has now scored in all four of Como's Champions League matches and has six goals in the competition. His all-round work stood out as much as his finishing: he also laid on Paz's goal, while Paz was involved in three goals and named man of the match by Goal.

Where it leaves both clubs

Como now have nine points from four games; Goal had them fourth in the 36-team table at full time, in the race for the eight direct places in the last 16. Their only defeat so far came away at Feyenoord. Lens stay on three points: they won 3-2 at Slavia Prague in their opening fixture but have now lost three in a row, after a 2-0 home defeat by Sporting CP and a 3-0 loss at Club Brugge.

Next matches (CET)	Fixture
Sun 8 Nov, 18:00	Inter – Como (Serie A)
Sun 8 Nov, 20:45	Lens – Marseille (Ligue 1)
Tue 24 Nov, 21:00	Como – AEK Athens (Champions League)
Tue 24 Nov, 21:00	RB Leipzig – Lens (Champions League)

Domestically, Como are fourth in Serie A with 23 points from ten games, five behind leaders Lazio – which makes Sunday's trip to second-placed Inter the next real test.

Our take

One lopsided night in France does not make Como contenders, and Lens were short of several regulars. But this was no fluke. Fàbregas' side combine possession with fast, vertical attacks, and the goals came from set pieces, counters and patient build-up alike. That variety, plus a striker in Douvikas who is scoring every week in Europe, is why a club playing its first Champions League season is in the top group after four games. The real verdict comes in the next fortnight: Inter away, then AEK at home, will show whether Como can turn spectacle into a place in the last 16.

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