FCBARCELONA.CAT

13.05.2007 15:57

Pressure without goals (1-2)

www.fcbarcelona.cat

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.