Barca's Top Four Hopes Dented After Thrilling Derby Draw
14 February, 2022
FC Barcelona's top-four hopes took a blow after they needed a last-minute Luuk de Jong goal to salvage a 2-2 draw with Espanyol in the Catalan derby on Sunday
LaLiga
Result: Espanyol 2-2 Barcelona
Date: 13 February 2022
Venue: RCDE Stadium
Xavi made one change to his side that beat Atletico Madrid in their last outing with Sergio Dest coming in for the suspended Dani Alves. Meanwhile, Espanyol made four alterations as Oscar Gil, Manuel Morlanes, Oscar Melendo and Landry Dimata were replaced by Aleix Vidal, Keidi Bare, Yangel Herrera and Raul de Tomas.
Barca made a flying start to the match when teenage sensation Pedri gave them the lead with just two minutes gone. Jordi Alba delivered a precise cross to the back post for an unmarked Pedri to turn in from close range. Espanyol were trying to gain a foothold and soon after countered down the left where Tonny Vilhena teed up De Tomas, who shanked his effort wide of the right post.
Xavi's side were pushing for a second and Ronald Araujo's long ball over the top released Adama Traore, who cut inside before his left-footed effort went wide of the right-hand upright.
Traore was in the thick of things for the Blaugrana and he controlled Gavi's pass well and unleashed a powerful effort on the half-volley, which Espanyol goalkeeper Diego Lopez did well to keep out.
Barca kept the pressure on and Alba dug out a cross into the box from the left flank with Ferran Torres heading just inches over the bar as Espanyol survived.
The Parakeets equalised against the run of play five minutes before half-time. De Tomas held the ball up well and laid it off to Sergi Darder in space on the edge of the box and the midfielder took a good first touch before bending a right-footed strike away from Marc-Andre ter Stegen into the right-hand corner.
Barca thought they had equalised on the hour mark through Gavi but Frenkie de Jong was adjudged to have been offside in the buildup and he was replaced by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang soon afterwards.
De Tomas added a goal to his assist in the 64th minute to put Espanyol in the lead when he ran onto an excellent ball over the top from Darder and buried a clinical strike past Ter Stegen and into the back of the net.
Torres had a chance to level matters when he rose to attack a cross from Alba to the near post from the left flank, but glanced his effort wide of the target.
Both sides finished the game with 10 men after Gerard Pique and Nicolas Melamed were sent off in the second minute of stoppage time after going head-to-head before De Jong scored a dramatic last-gasp equaliser when he headed home Traore's cross for a share of the spoils.
Source: www.soccerladuma.co.za