Como missed the chance to claim a third straight Serie A victory and break into the top four after Nico Paz saw his 98th-minute penalty saved in a dramatic 0-0 draw with 10-man Atalanta at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.

The match took a strange early turn when Atalanta were reduced to 10 men following an off-the-ball incident involving Honest Ahanor and Máximo Perrone. Replays showed the teenager striking the Como midfielder, leading to a straight red card.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Atalanta remained organised. Gianluca Scamacca tested Jean Butez with a free kick, which the Como goalkeeper dealt with comfortably, before the visitors settled into a defensive shape to absorb sustained pressure.

Como failed to make their advantage count before half-time. Anastasios Douvikas squandered a promising early opportunity, while goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi produced a series of outstanding saves to deny Paz and Perrone in quick succession. He also stopped efforts from Mergim Vojvoda, and Jacobo Ramón twice went close, yet the hosts could not find a breakthrough.

The pattern continued after the restart. Atalanta threatened on the counter through Kamaldeen Sulemana, who forced Butez into a sharp save, serving as a warning for Como’s wastefulness. Ramón remained heavily involved but dragged another good chance wide, while Nikola Krstović narrowly missed at the other end.

Como pushed harder as the match wore on, introducing Álvaro Morata in search of a decisive goal. However, Carnesecchi continued to frustrate the hosts with another late stop from Ramón.

Deep into stoppage time, Como were handed a golden opportunity when a Giorgio Scalvini handball resulted in a penalty. Paz stepped up in the 98th minute, but Carnesecchi guessed correctly and produced a dramatic save to preserve the draw.

The result extended Atalanta’s unbeaten league run to six matches and kept them firmly in the race for European qualification. They remain seventh, just behind sixth-placed Como, who were left to rue another missed opportunity.