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February 3, 2012

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Valencia thwarts Messi, Barca

LIONEL Messi had a penalty saved early in the second half as Barcelona was held to a 1-1 draw at Valencia in a hard-fought Copa del Rey semifinal first leg on Wednesday.

Valencia snatched a 27th-minute lead at its Mestalla Stadium when Jeremy Mathieu found space down the left wing and Jonas clipped the Frenchman's low cross high into the net past goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto.

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol equalized 10 minutes before the break when he met a deep Cesc Fabregas corner and nodded past Diego Alves.

Alves made amends 11 minutes into the second half when he flung himself to his left and parried away Messi's penalty, awarded after Miguel felled Thiago Alcantara in the area.

The second leg is next week at the Nou Camp. The winner will play 23-time champion Athletic Bilbao - Barcelona has won it 25 times - or third-tier Mirandes in the final.



 

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