Valdes howler hands Real a lifeline in Cup
Source: AFP |
August 25, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AN embarrassing blunder by Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes handed Real Madrid a Spanish Super Cup lifeline on Thursday despite slumping to a 3-2 first leg defeat at its Catalan rival's Nou Camp home.
With Barcelona 3-1 ahead, and pressing for a fourth goal, Valdes was caught out inside his own penalty area as he tried to dribble the ball clear only to be dispossessed by Angel di Maria who scored into an empty goal.
Pedro Rodriguez, Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez had earlier scored second-half goals to give Barcelona a convincing lead after Cristiano Ronaldo had put Real ahead on 55 minutes.
Real coach Jose Mourinho questioned the legality of Barca's first goal.
"Barca played well, especially in the first-half when they did not allow us to play, but in the second we were able to change our game a little. It was a good game but their first goal was an error by the linesman and was offside," he said.
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova, in charge of his first 'clasico', was happy with his side's performance.
"We controlled the game and we had the chance to go 4-1 ahead at the end, but that's football. We've won and we're ahead in the tie so I'm satisfied," he said.
Real had travelled without the injured Pepe as well as Nuri Sahin, Carvalho and Kaka who are all expected to leave before the close of the transfer window. Vilanova opted for Alexis Sanchez and Pedro Rodriguez to assist Messi.
While Barcelona did begin to control possession, it took until the 17th minute for the game's first real action when Gerard Pique tried his luck from long range but failed to hit the target.
Two minutes later Messi found Dani Alves with a delightful ball in space on the right and when he received the return pass his left-footed shot just missed the target.
The game continued in the same pattern until the 55th minute after the break when Ronaldo, previously anonymous, outjumped Sergio Busquets to head home a Mesut Ozil corner.
The game had opened up and Mourinho switched Benzema for Gonzalo Higuain but it was Barcelona which continued to create more meaningful opportunities.
Andres Iniesta provoked a clumsy challenge from Sergio Ramos in the area with a quick drag-back of the ball and Messi converted the resulting penalty.
Nine minutes later Iniesta was again the instigator when he threaded a pass through the Real defense to give Xavi the easiest of chances for Barcelona's third goal.
Barca had confirmed its supremacy and was looking the more likely to add to its tally in the final minutes until Valdes badly misjudged a backpass and di Maria pounced to snatch a lifeline for Real.
With Barcelona 3-1 ahead, and pressing for a fourth goal, Valdes was caught out inside his own penalty area as he tried to dribble the ball clear only to be dispossessed by Angel di Maria who scored into an empty goal.
Pedro Rodriguez, Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez had earlier scored second-half goals to give Barcelona a convincing lead after Cristiano Ronaldo had put Real ahead on 55 minutes.
Real coach Jose Mourinho questioned the legality of Barca's first goal.
"Barca played well, especially in the first-half when they did not allow us to play, but in the second we were able to change our game a little. It was a good game but their first goal was an error by the linesman and was offside," he said.
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova, in charge of his first 'clasico', was happy with his side's performance.
"We controlled the game and we had the chance to go 4-1 ahead at the end, but that's football. We've won and we're ahead in the tie so I'm satisfied," he said.
Real had travelled without the injured Pepe as well as Nuri Sahin, Carvalho and Kaka who are all expected to leave before the close of the transfer window. Vilanova opted for Alexis Sanchez and Pedro Rodriguez to assist Messi.
While Barcelona did begin to control possession, it took until the 17th minute for the game's first real action when Gerard Pique tried his luck from long range but failed to hit the target.
Two minutes later Messi found Dani Alves with a delightful ball in space on the right and when he received the return pass his left-footed shot just missed the target.
The game continued in the same pattern until the 55th minute after the break when Ronaldo, previously anonymous, outjumped Sergio Busquets to head home a Mesut Ozil corner.
The game had opened up and Mourinho switched Benzema for Gonzalo Higuain but it was Barcelona which continued to create more meaningful opportunities.
Andres Iniesta provoked a clumsy challenge from Sergio Ramos in the area with a quick drag-back of the ball and Messi converted the resulting penalty.
Nine minutes later Iniesta was again the instigator when he threaded a pass through the Real defense to give Xavi the easiest of chances for Barcelona's third goal.
Barca had confirmed its supremacy and was looking the more likely to add to its tally in the final minutes until Valdes badly misjudged a backpass and di Maria pounced to snatch a lifeline for Real.
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