FCBARCELONA.CAT

12.12.2007 20:20

Barça overcome league leaders (26-24)

Verònica Díez

Barça have beaten ASOBAL league leaders Ciudad Real 26-24. Barça defended well, were lethal on the counterattack and benefited from an excellent performance from goalkeeper Kasper Hvidt.

FC Barcelona led on the scoreboard for most of the game but in the second half were put under severe pressure by the visitors. The final minutes were tense for both teams but, finally, Albert Rocas scored to clinch the game for Barça.

The win against Ciudad Real means that Barça can look forward to the next phase of the ASOBAL handball league with hopes of greater things to come.

30 minutes of Barça dominance

The first half started well for Barça and as the minutes passed they gradually built up a lead, the maximum difference coming when Noddesbo made it 6-2. The Barça defence smothered much of the Ciudad Real attacking play and goalkeeper Kasper Hvidt stopped almost everything the visitors could throw at him. However, one minute before the break, Uros Zorman equalled the score at 8-8 to put the game once more in the balance. Finally, Iker Romero, who had not been particularly sharp during the first half, gave Barça a 9-8 lead in the dying seconds.

Ciudad Real persevere

Ciudad Real scored three quick consecutive goals at the beginning of the second half to take a 9-11 lead but Romero replied with seven goals in 15 minutes. Barça continued to defend well, providing a springboard for their highly effective counterattack and Demetrio Lozano put Barça back with a four-goal lead with just five minutes left on the clock (25-21). To give them credit, Ciudad Real refused to give up and another run of three consecutive goals brought them to within a single goal of equalling the score line. The tension was razor sharp in the final minutes until Albert Rocas scored to clinch the game at 26-24.