Paz drives Como to thumping win over sorry Lazio

Nico Paz starred in Como's thumping 3-0 win at Lazio on Monday as the ambitious lakeside outfit continued their bid for European football.

Argentina international Paz bundled in Como's second goal midway through the first half in Rome before making sure of the win with a beautiful long-range strike three minutes after the break.

The 21-year-old has scored eight times and set up six more this season as Como, owned by tobacco giant Djarum and coached by Cesc Fabregas, have exceeded expectations in just their second top flight season in a quarter of a century.

Como sit sixth and in the Conference League spot with 37 points from 21 games, just two fewer than giants Juventus and five away from the Champions League positions.

Paz, who was bought in August last year from Real Madrid in a complicated deal which gives the Spanish giants the right of repurchase before 2027, would have had a hat-trick had Ivan Provedel not saved his penalty in the 35th minute.

While Como continue to push forward Lazio are fading under Maurizio Sarri who has had to deal with two key players in Matteo Guendouzi and Valentin Castellanos being sold in the January transfer window.

Lazio are nine points behind Como in ninth and were loudly booed off the field by a despondent crowd at a sparsely-populated Stadio Olimpico.