FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.12.2008 19:00

Seesaw draw (2-2)

Roger Bogunyà

Barça Atlètic have drawn their fourth match in a row away from home and are unbeaten in nine. Rochina and Maric put Barça ahead twice, but both times Sabadell equalised just a few minutes later.

Barça Atlètic held the whip hand during much of the game, but Sabadell never threw in the towel even when they fell behind to a Rochina goal to make it 0-1, nor when Maric struck to make it 1-2, and equalised on both occasions. The 2-2 final score brings Barça another point but leaves them a bit further off the pace at the top of the table.

Two very different goals

After a few minutes of initial sparring, Barça took control of the game from the 10th minute onwards as strikers Rochina, Jeffren and Gai began to up their game. A typically skilful and rapid move led to the game’s first goal from Rochina after some excellent play by Vázquez and Longás.

But just two minutes later Sabadell equalised in the 28th minute. Barça failed to clear their lines and Joel was on hand to beat Miño with a shot just inside the post. The goal had an immediate effect on Luis Enrique’s men who failed to reassert their dominance for the rest of the half.

No chances on the restart

The second half was fairly uneventful for 35 minutes with no clear chances. Javi Rodríguez sent a shot wide in the 60th minute, Longás threatened with a piece of individual skill in the 71st and a weak effort by Gai in the 83rd minute were the only attempts of any note.

Crazy final five minutes

As the game seemed to be petering out to a draw, a mistake by the home side let in Barça Atlètic in the 85th minute; Agustín’s clearance deceived his keeper and Maric rolled the ball into an empty net. Yet Sabadell came back and once again drew level moments later when Miño was unable to keep out Juvenal’s excellent free kick.

In injury time David Córcoles cut off a Sabadell counterattack and was sent off for a second yellow card offence.