Feyenoord have won three on the bounce since their humbling defeat against Barcelona on matchday one, and they found themselves welcoming a Como side facing a test of their resolve following a two-game winless run - the first time Cesc Fabregas’s men had done so since the middle of April.
Both sides got off to a fast start here in Rotterdam as Como’s pressure paid off with the opening goal just after the quarter-hour mark.
Cesc’s men turned defence into attack in a sublime manner, as Jacobo sliced through the hosts’ defence to release Assane Diao down the right, and with work still to do, he brilliantly dribbled into the box before firing home.
The hosts responded brilliantly and were behind for a little over two minutes as straight from kick-off, a spell of possession culminated with a moment of magic to light up De Kuip.
Luciano Valente picked out Gjivai Zechiel 20 yards from goal, and with his back to goal, he took the ball in his stride before turning and burying a pinpoint finish into the bottom-left corner, marking his sixth goal of the season and first in the UCL.
Things went from bad to worse for Como when goalscorer Diao was forced off injured midway through the first half. Both sides had opportunities heading towards the break, with Martin Baturina having a shot parried from outside the box, before Givairo Read was also denied with a driven shot from distance.
The hosts pressed right until the half-time whistle as the last touch of the half came from Robert Sanchez tipping Javi Lopez’s looping header over the bar.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men picked up right where they left off once the second half got underway and completed the turnaround within seven minutes of the restart.
Half-time substitute Gaoussou Diarra switched play from left to right, picking out Anis Hadj Moussa, who cut inside and powered his finish past a helpless Sanchez, with the goalkeeper perhaps too easily beaten at his near post.
Fabregas turned to his bench after his players failed to get started in the second period, and Anastasios Douvikas should have drawn them level on the hour mark when found unmarked in the box, where he headed well over the bar.
A disappointing evening for Sanchez was further compounded by an own goal in the 82nd minute after Hadj Moussa’s strike from 25 yards out deflected onto the post and off the Como stopper’s back before nestling in the back of the net.
The visitors pulled a goal back in stoppage time when Douvikas powered home, capitalising on a defensive mistake from the hosts, but it was too little, too late.
A poor second-half showing sees Como fall to a second defeat in three games across all competitions (D1), and with Manchester United travelling to Lombardy next week, it doesn’t get any easier on paper.
A fourth straight win for Feyenoord and their first points of the UCL campaign is just the second victory from their last eight meetings against Italian opposition (D3, L3).
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gjivai Zechiel (Feyenoord)