RC Lens 1-9 Como: Visitors Run Riot in Historic UEFA Champions League Rout

Como produced one of the most astonishing away performances in UEFA Champions League history on 5 November 2026, dismantling RC Lens 9-1 at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. The Italian side turned an early setback into a merciless demonstration of pressing, movement and finishing, leaving the Ligue 1 hosts with a result that will linger long in the memory for all the wrong reasons.

The RC Lens vs Como scoreline was already remarkable by half-time, with the visitors leading 3-1 after absorbing an early blow. What followed was a second-half avalanche: six more goals without reply, a stunned home crowd, and a performance that instantly entered the conversation about the greatest away displays in the modern Champions League era.

Match overview

Lens actually began with purpose and took a shock lead in the eighth minute when Florian Sotoca converted from close range after a well-worked set piece. For a brief period, the Stade Bollaert-Delelis was at its loudest, and the home side looked capable of making the night uncomfortable for Como.

That discomfort lasted barely ten minutes. Como equalised through Nico Paz after a slick turnover in midfield, and from that moment the match tilted decisively. The visitors pressed higher, forced Lens into hurried clearances and created chances in waves. By the 41st minute they led 3-1, and the sense was that the game had already changed beyond recognition.

The second half was ruthless. Como scored within seven minutes of the restart, added two more before the hour, and then kept punishing spaces as Lens pushed forward in desperation. The final margin of 9-1 flattered nobody: Como were faster to every loose ball, sharper in the final third and far more clinical than their hosts.

Key moments

• 8 minutes: Lens take the lead through Florian Sotoca, sparking wild celebrations and briefly raising hopes of a famous home night.
• 17 minutes: Como equalise through Nico Paz, who curls a low finish beyond the goalkeeper after a quick regain in midfield.
• 29 minutes: Assane Diao puts Como ahead, finishing a flowing move down the right after Lens are stretched by a switch of play.
• 41 minutes: A third Como goal arrives before half-time, with Lucas Da Cunha converting at the back post after another incisive attack.
• 52 minutes: Paz scores his second, effectively ending any hope of a Lens comeback.
• 58 minutes: Diao adds his second as Como punish a high Lens line with a direct ball over the top.
• 64 minutes: A driven cross is turned in for 6-1, and the home support begins to fall silent.
• 71 minutes: Paz completes his hat-trick with a composed finish inside the penalty area.
• 78 minutes: Substitute adds an eighth after another turnover, with Lens now completely exposed at the back.
• 86 minutes: Como reach nine with a late strike that caps the most emphatic European result in the club’s history.

Tactical story: Como’s press breaks Lens apart

The tactical tale was one of pressure and response. Lens tried to build from the back, but Como’s front line pressed with coordinated intensity, cutting off the return pass and forcing long balls that were easily contested. Once Como won the ball in advanced areas, their first thought was always forward: runners attacked the box, midfielders arrived late, and the full-backs pushed high to create overloads.

Lens, by contrast, became increasingly fragmented. The early goal should have given them a platform, but their midfield dropped too deep and their defensive line lacked protection. When they tried to press higher after the break, Como simply played through them. When they retreated, the visitors picked their spots around the penalty area. It was a complete tactical unravelling.

Como’s ability to score in different ways was especially impressive. They scored from quick combinations, from transitions, from crosses and from set-piece second balls. That variety made them impossible to contain, and Lens never found a way to slow the game down.

Standout players

Nico Paz was the headline act, scoring a hat-trick and dictating the rhythm of Como’s attacks between the lines. His movement dragged Lens defenders out of position and created space for others to exploit. Every time he received the ball in central areas, the home side looked vulnerable.

Assane Diao added a brace and was a constant threat with his direct running. He stretched the Lens back line, won duels on the flank and gave Como an outlet whenever they needed to relieve pressure. Lucas Da Cunha was another key figu