Convincing win against Osasuna
Convincing win against Osasuna | | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| | Two goals from Eto'o and another from Giuly meant three points for Barça as they totally dominated a team that had clearly come in search of a draw. But first half injuries to Belletti and Deco were the negative sides to an outstanding performance. League leaders Osasuna have a good record at the Nou Camp in recent seasons, and after a goalless first half, the result was still very much up in the air. But an Eto'o goal right after the break calmed the nerves of a team that has drawn its last two home fixtures, and ultimately Barcelona ran in comfortable 3-0 winners. Double injury woe
Frank Rijkaard opted to play Leo Messi from the start, and the young Argentinian's performance was one of his best yet, especially in the first half when on two occasions he was almost rewarded with goals. In the first, after 25 minutes, his header from a Ronaldinho cross struck the Osasuna bar, and ten minutes later, he followed a marvellous run down the left with a powerful drive that was met by Osasuna keeper Ricardo. Eto'o the saviour again
In the 53rd minute, the Cameroonian's name was on the scoresheet again. A beautiful one-two between Ronaldinho and Silvinho saw the latter run the ball to the bye line and send a killer pass across the goalmouth that Ricardo was only able to palm into the path of Eto'o, who made no mistake in sending the ball home unchallenged. Osasuna unthreatening
Three goals, three points
All in all, a convincing display by Barcelona, who now have the luxury of two more games at the Nou Camp in a league campaign that is very much back on the right track. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Things got off to an ominous start when Belletti twisted his knee and was replaced by Edmilson early on in the game. And this would not be Barça's only loss of the first half, as Deco was forced to retire after half an hour with a pulled muscle, Van Bommel coming on in his place. It was indeed a physical game, with Javier Aguirre's side clearly here in search of the draw, and not afraid to make some alarmingly reckless challenges in the process.
Samuel Eto'o had the last clear-cut opportunity of the half, meeting Ronaldinho's cross on the stroke of half time, only to see the visiting keeper claw the ball around the post. But he was able to make up for that by netting Barcelona's first when the second half was barely a minute old, leaping to meet a Messi corner and sending the ball into the top corner of the Ricardo's net.
Osasuna are co-leaders of the Liga, but did very little to justify that in this particular outing, making some bizarre unforced errors in midfield and creating only one goalscoring opportunity in the second half, when Valdo was almost gifted a golden chance, but the ball bounced awkwardly and he was unable to control it in time. Then, with Moha injured after Oleguer had accidentally trodden on his foot, the Pamplona based side, having already made their three changes, were forced to play out the remaining quarter of an hour with only ten men.
And so it was that the rest of the game was a case of Barcelona pushing forward in search of more, and eventually getting it when the ball bounced off Ronaldinho's back to fall dead in the Osasuna area. There was a breakdown in communication among the Osasuna defence, which substitute Giuly was quick to pick up on, stealing the ball from among them and slotting home Barça's third.