Barcelona –
Barcelona ensure themselves to qualify for the round of 16 Liga Champions. Barca came from behind to beat again Porto with a score of 2-1.
The Barcelona vs Porto duel took place at the Montjuic Stadium on Wednesday (29/11) early morning WIB. Pepe Aquino silenced the home crowd after opening the scoring just after half an hour of the match.
Joao Cancelo inspired Barcelona’s revival. Cancelo scored a goal to balance the game at the end of the first half, then created Barca’s winning goal scored by Joao Felix.
This victory ensures Barcelona will advance to the knockout phase of the Champions League with one match remaining. Barca topped Group H after collecting 12 points, three points ahead of Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk who both collected nine points.
On matchday 6, Barca will visit a weak team Antwerp, who will definitely be eliminated. Meanwhile Porto hosts Shakhtar.
[Gambas:Opta]
The Course of the Match
The match was fast. The two clubs traded attacks from the start. Barcelona created the first chance when Raphinha’s shot allowed Diogo Costa to make a save in the eighth minute.
Mehdi Taremi found the net for Barcelona in the 26th minute! However, the goal was disallowed because Taremi was in an offside position when he received Evanilson’s pass.
However, just four minutes later Porto finally scored the opening goal to beat Barcelona 1-0. Pepe Aquino etched his name on the scoreboard.
From outside the penalty box, Taremi fired a shot which was blocked by Jules Kounde. Galeno caught the rebound with a right foot kick, then blocked by Inaki Pena. Pepe Aquino met the rebound with a right-footed shot into the bottom corner of Barca’s goal.
Barcelona didn’t take long to score a reply. Two minutes later, Joao Cancelo brought Barca to equalize the score at 1-1.
Pedri sent a long pass to Cancelo on the left wing. The Portuguese player found time and space to dribble the ball, then bamboozled a Porto defender before finishing with a right-footed shot into the far corner.
A good opportunity was created for Barcelona in the 35th minute. Raphinha’s stab ended with a pull pass. Joao Felix, who was standing in the 6 yard box, responded with a flick but the ball soared high.
Before halftime, Diogo Costa almost made a blunder. Costa’s pass actually fell into Pedri’s path and then followed up with a blocked shot. Raphinha caught the rebound, luckily his shot went wide.
Porto’s turn threatened. Alan Varela danced in the penalty box before firing into the far corner. Inaki Pena made a save by blocking the ball. The 1-1 score lasted until halftime.
Barcelona almost scored a second goal just moments after the second half kickoff. Joao Felix fired a hard shot which Diogo Costa failed to reach. However, the ball only hit the Porto crossbar before it could be secured.
Ronald Araujo made a crucial interception. Araujo slid to sweep the crossing from the right wing so that Taremi couldn’t finish.
Barcelona turned ahead. In the 57th minute, Joao Cancelo scored Barca’s second goal and changed the score to 2-1 over Porto.
Joao Mario headed Frenkie de Jong’s pass. Felix worked together one or two with Cancelo which ended with a horizontal crossing from the left side of the penalty box. Felix shot from the front of the 6 yard box into the bottom corner of the Porto goal.
Good defense from Barcelona. From the chaos in front of goal, Pepe Aquino got the ball near the post but it was thwarted by Inaki Pena and Kounde. Barca’s quick counterattack was ended by Ferran Torres with a curling shot that went narrowly wide.
Barcelona’s attempt to score an additional goal failed again. Ilkay Guendogan’s cross from outside the penalty box was met by Raphinha with an overhead kick at a tight angle. Diogo Costa was still quick to brush it off.
Lineup
BARCELONA: Inaki Pena, Inigo Martinez, Joao Cancelo (Balde 82′), Kounde, Araujo, Guendogan, De Jong, Pedri, Raphinha (Lamine Yamal 90′), Joao Felix (Ferran Torres 75′), Lewandowski
PORTO: Diogo Costa, Pepe, Fabio Cardoso (Loader 90′), Sanusi, Joao Mario (Sanchez 67′), Estaquio (Nico Gonzalez 81′), Varena, Taremi, Galeno, Pepa Aquino, Evanilson (Conceicao 81′)
Watch the video “Ahead of Porto vs Barcelona, Joao Felix: The most difficult match in the group”
(also/bay)
2023-11-28 22:04:18
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