Como 0-0 Inter: Semi-Final First Leg Draw Leaves Tie Open

Como and Inter played out a goalless Coppa Italia semi-final first leg at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, leaving the tie balanced before the return match in Milan. Como created the clearer chances and limited Inter’s attack, yet lacked precision near goal. The result means both teams still hold realistic hopes of reaching the Coppa Italia final.

The best opening fell to Alex Valle early in the second half, when Ivan Smolcic drilled a low cross into the six-yard box. Valle arrived unmarked and stretched for the ball but could not direct the effort on target. That miss summed up Como’s evening in front of goal, with pressure but no decisive finish.

Inter failed to reproduce the attacking threat shown in the previous league meeting, when Como conceded four goals. Cristian Chivu’s side found it hard to build sustained pressure and often appeared second best in midfield duels. Como’s organisation without the ball limited Inter’s creativity and restricted shots to less dangerous positions around the box.

Como had already threatened several times before the interval. Mergim Vojvoda went close twice, first seeing a shot blocked by Carlos Augusto, then bending another effort narrowly wide of the far post with the outside of the foot. Nico Paz also tested Josep Martinez, driving in from the left channel and drawing a strong save.

The second half started sharply when Matteo Darmian’s cross from the right clipped the near post after just 13 seconds. That moment briefly lifted Inter, yet Como soon regained control. Neither team committed many players forward late on, with both appearing wary of conceding an away goal equivalent and damaging their position before the second leg.

Cesc Fabregas adjusted his line-up during the final stages, introducing fresh players to maintain energy and possibly steal a late winner, but the game stayed tight. Inter seemed content to manage risk and protect the clean sheet. The cautious approach from both benches reflected the two-legged context and the importance of every small advantage.

Match data highlighted the different attacking outputs. Inter produced only three shots, all off target, for an expected goals value of 0.06. Como generated 0.9 expected goals from five attempts, with Valle’s close-range effort contributing 0.73 alone. The figures underlined how the home team came closer to breaking the deadlock.

Maxence Caqueret stood out in Como’s midfield with an influential all-round performance. Caqueret completed 51 of 56 passes, including a match-high 12 into the final third. Caqueret also won seven duels, the most of any player, and regained possession four times, which matched the top figure among Como teammates in this controlled display.

The draw leaves the Coppa Italia semi-final evenly set before the second leg at San Siro next month. Como can take encouragement from limiting Inter’s attack and creating the best opportunities. Inter, meanwhile, will rely on home advantage and greater attacking fluency in Milan to try to turn the balanced tie in their favour.