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Barca stretches unbeaten streak
Source: Agencies |
January 5, 2009, Monday
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BARCELONA extended its unbeaten streak to 16 matches in the Spanish league with a 3-1 home win against Mallorca on Saturday.
Barcelona's 14th win in 17 matches gave it an 11-point lead ahead of Valencia, which won its home game against Atletico Madrid 3-1. Sevilla could overtake Valencia if it beats last-place Osasuna in a match scheduled late yesterday. Valencia was two points ahead of Sevilla.
Mallorca scored first through Aritz Aduriz, and Barcelona's reply came from Thierry Henry, Andres Iniesta and Yaya Toure in the league's first game following the annual winter break.
Aduriz stole the ball in midfield, deftly dribbled past defenders Toure and Victor Sanchez and outpaced both before lobbing the ball over goalkeeper Victor Valdes in the 15th minute.
After a period of sustained Barcelona pressure, Henry equalized in the 31st when he controlled a corner cross and shot from the left of the penalty area inside the far post. It was the French forward's ninth goal this season.
Iniesta's second goal of the season in the 75th converted a cross from Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen. Iniesta had replaced Alexandre Hleb only about five minutes earlier for his first match since he injured his right leg on November 4.
Mallorca's Jose Miguel "Josemi" Gonzalez was ejected for a second yellow card offense when he fouled Xavi Hernandez in the 90th, then Toure capped a good night for the home team in injury time after skillfully dribbling past Mallorca's defense.
Belarus midfielder Hleb was in Barcelona's starting lineup on the right wing instead of Lionel Messi, who returned late from a holiday break with his family in Argentina and had not been able to train fully for the match.
Messi and Dani Alves reportedly were held up returning from South America after flight delays.
Valencia striker David Villa converted a penalty in the 35th minute to take his season's goal tally to 13. The offense happened when Atletico midfielder Raul Garcia pushed Ruben Baraja.
Midfielder David Silva gave Valencia a second goal five minutes later when he buried Portugal defender Luis Miguel Brito's accurate cross.
Atletico's Diego Forlan pulled one back when he converted a penalty after Baraja fouled Sergio Aguero in first-half injury time.
Silva then hit a powerful left-footed shot into the top right corner of the net from 10 meters outside the penalty area in the 69th minute.
Barcelona's 14th win in 17 matches gave it an 11-point lead ahead of Valencia, which won its home game against Atletico Madrid 3-1. Sevilla could overtake Valencia if it beats last-place Osasuna in a match scheduled late yesterday. Valencia was two points ahead of Sevilla.
Mallorca scored first through Aritz Aduriz, and Barcelona's reply came from Thierry Henry, Andres Iniesta and Yaya Toure in the league's first game following the annual winter break.
Aduriz stole the ball in midfield, deftly dribbled past defenders Toure and Victor Sanchez and outpaced both before lobbing the ball over goalkeeper Victor Valdes in the 15th minute.
After a period of sustained Barcelona pressure, Henry equalized in the 31st when he controlled a corner cross and shot from the left of the penalty area inside the far post. It was the French forward's ninth goal this season.
Iniesta's second goal of the season in the 75th converted a cross from Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen. Iniesta had replaced Alexandre Hleb only about five minutes earlier for his first match since he injured his right leg on November 4.
Mallorca's Jose Miguel "Josemi" Gonzalez was ejected for a second yellow card offense when he fouled Xavi Hernandez in the 90th, then Toure capped a good night for the home team in injury time after skillfully dribbling past Mallorca's defense.
Belarus midfielder Hleb was in Barcelona's starting lineup on the right wing instead of Lionel Messi, who returned late from a holiday break with his family in Argentina and had not been able to train fully for the match.
Messi and Dani Alves reportedly were held up returning from South America after flight delays.
Valencia striker David Villa converted a penalty in the 35th minute to take his season's goal tally to 13. The offense happened when Atletico midfielder Raul Garcia pushed Ruben Baraja.
Midfielder David Silva gave Valencia a second goal five minutes later when he buried Portugal defender Luis Miguel Brito's accurate cross.
Atletico's Diego Forlan pulled one back when he converted a penalty after Baraja fouled Sergio Aguero in first-half injury time.
Silva then hit a powerful left-footed shot into the top right corner of the net from 10 meters outside the penalty area in the 69th minute.
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