13.05.2007 15:57
Pressure without goals (1-2)
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Barça B have lost 1-2 against Alcoyano in the Miniestadi. This leaves them second bottom with 37 points, four away from the safety zone with just two matches left to play.
Barça’s second string football squad have lost 1-2 at home to Alcoyano and have turned an
already difficult fight against relegation into a desperate battle. They can still survive but now
it all rests on the results in the last two match days in Division 2B. Their fate is not in their
own hands and they will have to rely on teams such as Figueres, Eldense and Valencia B to slip up.
Alcoyano goalkeeper, a headache
The match between Barça B and Alcoyano was a tense affair with both sides having a lot to
play for - Barça B to avoid the drop and Alcoyano fighting for promotion. The teams showed a lot of
respect for each other in the opening minutes but Barça B gradually began to put Maestro under
pressure in the Alcoyano goal. However, the visiting goalkeeper was in excellent form, stopping
everything the Barça B players threw at him. Barça had four clear chances to take the lead but
Maestro was unbeatable, stopping one effort on the goal line.
A bucket of cold water
Alcoyano took the lead in the 49th minute thanks to a soft goal from Carlos Calvo. His free
kick sailed past both defenders and strikers, wrong-footing goalkeeper Rubén, and ended up in the
net.
Chances go begging
Manager Quique Costas responded by bring on Toni, Dimas and Thaer to try and spark a
reaction. Toni was especially effective down the right wing and one of his crosses was seized upon
by Jeffren who hit the post. Immediately after, Dimas sent the ball just wide while Sito failed to
connect with another cross from Toni.
Frantic final minutes
Just when Barça were playing their best football, they were caught by a counterattack in the
84th minute. Carlos Calvo shook off the attentions of the Barça defence and put the ball beyond
Rubén for the visitors’ second. In injury time, Thaer made it 1-2 but it was too little too
late.
Match stats
FC BARCELONA B, 1
ALCOYANO, 2
BARÇA B: Rubén, Olmo, Marc Valiente, Jeffrey, Marc Crosas (Toni, min. 55),
Giovanni, Sastre (Dimas, min. 45), Sito, Víctor Vázquez, Jeffren (Thaer, min. 72).
ALCOYANO: Maestro, Carrión, Garrido, Casany (Gàmiz, min. 76), Marcos Estruch, Fran
Machado (Barselleta, min. 88), Diego Jiménez, Jorge Recio, Carlos Calvo, Baixauli, Dani.
Goals: 0-1, Carlos Calvo (min. 49); 0-2, Carlos Calvo (min. 84); 1-2, Thaer (min.
93).
Referee: José Antonio Peña Molina.