The story appears on

Page A16

February 22, 2016

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

HomeSportsSoccer

Suarez, Neymar send Barca 9 clear

GOALS from the prolific Luis Suarez and Neymar earned Barcelona a 2-1 victory at Las Palmas on Saturday that propelled it nine points clear at the top of Spain’s La Liga.

The league’s leading marksman Suarez opened the scoring after six minutes, meeting Jordi Alba’s cross at the far post to net his 12th goal in seven matches in all competitions and take his La Liga tally for the season to 25.

Las Palmas equalized four minutes later when striker Willian Jose beat the offside trap to latch on to Jonathan Viera’s brilliant backheeled pass and steer the ball past Claudio Bravo.

Neymar restored Barcelona’s lead in the 39th, and took his league tally to 18, when Lionel Messi’s shot was parried by goalkeeper Javi Varas and the Brazilian netted the rebound.

“To win titles you have to suffer, (this was) a match away from home suffering ... these matches are the ones that give you the league,” Suarez told Spanish television.

“What matters is for the team to keep winning. I am here to add goals and assists.”

Suarez, after scoring his 41st goal of the season in all competitions, had a good chance to increase Barcelona’s lead early in the second half but Varas made a superb stop.

Messi had a quiet game and Barcelona struggled to maintain possession. It gradually took more control in the second half after an even first 45 minutes but had to work hard to thwart the home side’s counter-attacks.

Substitute Sergio Araujo, a former Barcelona B player and Argentina junior international, squandered three chances for Las Palmas near the end.

Atletico Madrid can close the gap on the runaway leader to six points when it hosts Villarreal yesterday. Third-placed Real Madrid, which is 10 points off the pace, was at Malaga.

Espanyol coach Constantin Galca earned a stay of execution when his side ended a run of eight matches without victory by beating Deportivo La Coruna 1-0, courtesy of a 52nd-minute goal by midfielder Marco Asensio, who is on loan from Real.

Espanyol edged four points clear of the relegation zone.


 

Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

娌叕缃戝畨澶 31010602000204鍙

Email this to your friend