BARCELONA (AFP) - Lionel Messi pounced on two Manchester United mistakes to score twice and end their hopes of another Camp Nou comeback as Barcelona breezed into the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday (April 16).
After an excellent start, United were undone twice in four minutes by Messi, who first nicked the ball off the careless Ashley Young and then watched as a weak shot from distance squirmed underneath David de Gea.
Philippe Coutinho, in perhaps his best performance of the season, added a third with a curling effort into the top corner and by the end, an outclassed United might have been relieved the score was not more traumatic than 3-0, 4-0 on aggregate.
A dizzying opening spell, in which Marcus Rashford had hit the crossbar, was long-forgotten, even if it could offer Barcelona's next opponents some encouragement.
Liverpool, who take a 2-0 lead to Porto on Wednesday, are the most likely obstacle between Barca and their first Champions League final since they last won this tournament in 2015. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane might feel encouraged.
Instead, United's pair of early errors made this another night about Messi and ensured any faint hopes of repeating the comeback against Paris Saint-Germain, or even the famous 1999 rescue act against Bayern Munich, on this same pitch, were dashed.
Messi now has his 109th and 110th Champions League goals and, potentially, three extra matches to reduce the gap on Cristiano Ronaldo's 126, after Juventus were dumped out by Ajax. Barcelona's fans celebrated that too.
United's coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had urged his strikers to be more lethal here but it felt ominous that even before kick-off, Rashford, Anthony Martial, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez had hit 42 goals this season, while Messi on his own had 43.
Around an hour before kick-off, Alex Ferguson was on the side of the pitch, shaking hands with Ryan Giggs and sharing words with Solskjaer, the scorer of that goal against Munich here 20 years ago.
They could have hardly have asked for a better start. United were brilliant for eight minutes and could have been ahead within 30 seconds as Rashford raced onto a curving Paul Pogba pass and toed away a shot, which Marc-Andre ter Stegen bravely left to graze his own crossbar.
Magic MessiÂ
Barca were flustered, so much so the crowd even cheered with relief when Arthur Melo played his team's first convincing pass.
Then, Barcelona had their own eight-minute flurry as United almost conceded a penalty, ruled out after Fred took the ball before bringing down Ivan Rakitic, and then did concede, twice, to Messi.
Both could have been avoided, even if Young's turn on the edge of his own box was punished in devastating fashion. Young lunged in to atone for his mistake but Messi skipped away from him, poked it through Fred's legs and then whipped the ball past into the corner.
The second was simpler. Fred and Scott McTominay closed in on Coutinho and the ball spilled out to Messi, whose dribbling shot with his right foot should have drawn a routine save. Instead, De Gea let is squirm under his body for 2-0.
Pogba lashed out at the increasingly influential Arthur and Barca could have had a third before half-time, De Gea scrambling across to save on the line when Sergi Roberto should have finished.
Messi could have had his hat-trick too after Luis Suarez found him with a superb cutback and there was an almost comical sequence in the second half when the Argentinian played with his United chasers before finally being bundled over by McTominay.
Rashford might have made it interesting if he had controlled Pogba's ball over the top but Barcelona were in exhibition mode, helped by a vintage Coutinho curler after he had cut inside from the left.
Messi even attempted a bicycle kick and there were celebrations from the home fans when news went round that Ajax had taken the lead in Turin. They believe this is their year.
Arsenal beaten by BATE as Lacazette sent off Arsenal face an uphill battle to progress in the Europa League after a 1-0 defeat by BATE Borisov in the last-32 first leg which saw Alexandre Lacazette sent off on Thursday.
Arsenal beaten by BATE as Lacazette sent off - guardian.ng
Man City still teenagers in adult world of Champions League - Guardiola in the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium in
Man City still teenagers in adult world of Champions League
The victory saw Madrid climb to third place on 36 points, three ahead of Sevilla who have failed to win in their last four league outings, while Barcelona, who host Leganes on Sunday, are top with 43.
Football: Madrid climb to third with vital win over Sevilla
NICOSIA (Reuters) - Eden Hazard marked his 100th cap with an early goal to set Belgium on their way to a comfortable 2-0 away win over Cyprus in their Euro 2020 qualifier on Sunday. Michy
Eden Hazard marks milestone with early goal to help Belgium
Currently sitting at 3-7, things are not going well for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Their offseason acquisition of Andrew Bynum isn't looking overly hot. Their shocking selection of Anthony Bennett
As Davis trade talks heat up, young Lakers looking for
Malaysia lost 2-1 to an under-strength Lebanon side in their first qualification match on June 13, before salvaging a 1-1 draw when Hong Kong missed an added-time penalty.
JDT players miss start of Malaysia camp for Asian Cup
BURNLEY: Sergio Aguero's 20th Premier League goal of the season left Manchester City just two wins from the title after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday.
Aguero inches Man City closer to title | eNCA
Maurizio Sarri says he is not worried about Chelsea's looming transfer embargo, insisting he has confidence in his squad as he targets a top-four finish in the Premier League. The Stamford Bridge club, who host London rivals West Ham on Monday, are fifth in the table, level on 63 points with fourth-placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
Chelsea can cope with transfer ban, says Sarri - punchng.com
Vigil van Dijk could not vote for a team mate. (Reuters picture) BANGALORE: Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk says he voted for Manchester City's Raheem Sterling to be named PFA player of the year.
Sterling gets van Dijk's vote for PFA award - theworldnews.net
Home » News » Sports » Liverpool held at Everton to surrender top spot in Premier League. Liverpool held at Everton to surrender top spot in Premier League round football match between
Football: Liverpool held at Everton to surrender top spot in
The Reds stay on top of the Premier League on 69 points, just ahead of Manchester City on 68 points. Stylish Liverpool thrash Watford to stay top. By. Former football superstars to play
Stylish Liverpool thrash Watford to stay top - The Bruneian
0 comments:
Post a Comment