Lacklustre Barca Drop Points For THE VERY FIRST TIME
05 October, 2020
LaLiga
Result: FC Barcelona 1-1 Sevilla
Date: 04 October 2020
Venue: Camp Nou
FC Barcelona's perfect learn to the LaLiga season found an end once they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sevilla on Sunday evening.
Barca had a different centre-back pairing as Ronald Araujo replaced the suspended Clement Lenglet alongside Gerard Pique while Ivan Rakitic started for Sevilla against his former side.
The visitors had a dream start as Luuk de Jong broke the deadlock in the eighth minute with a clinical volley in to the roof of the web after a rebound inside box from a corner situation.
Ronald Koeman's charges responded almost immediately, as Philippe Coutinho also slammed home a volley into a clear net two minutes later after Lionel Messi's chip over the defence was half cleared into his path.
Antoine Griezmann had a chance to give Blaugrana the lead in the 21st minute after Anssumane Fati sent him through on goal on the left side but his out-stretched shot hit the side-netting, which became the final clear-cut opening.
Following the first half ended all square, The early exchanges of the next stanza followed an identical pattern and Koeman responded on the hour-mark with a double change with Trincao and Pedri replacing Griezmann and Fati.
The hosts were lucky never to find themselves behind a couple of minutes later after Araujo scuffed a cross by Sevilla into the frame of the target at the near post.
Julen Lopetegui's men were growing in the overall game and Jules Kounde came near to giving his side the lead with a headed effort at the near post from corner-kick within the last 20 minutes that missed just wide.
Lionel Messi had an opportunity to snatch the winner for Barca within the last eight minutes after latching onto a pass in the box but his powerful low strike was parried away by shot-stopper Yassine Bounou, before Trincao was denied by Bounou in a one-on-one situation as the sides were forced to stay for a share of the spoils.
Source: www.soccerladuma.co.za