Sports

Messi shines as Barca sweeps past Girona

January 27, 2019
Barcelona's forward Lionel Messi (L) celebrates with defender Jordi Alba after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match against Girona FC at the Montilivi Stadium in Girona Sunday. — AFP
Barcelona's forward Lionel Messi (L) celebrates with defender Jordi Alba after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match against Girona FC at the Montilivi Stadium in Girona Sunday. — AFP

GIRONA — Lionel Messi scored a sublime goal to make up for the missed trip to Miami as Barcelona beat Girona 2-0 Sunday to go five points clear again at the top of La Liga.

This was the fixture intended to be played in the United States but any advantage Girona maintained by keeping it at its own Montilivi ground was canceled out by Messi, and another ruthless Barca display.

Messi's brilliant finish in the second half, his ninth goal in as many games, came after Nelson Semedo had given the visitors an early lead, before Bernardo Espinosa's red card consigned Girona to 39 minutes with 10 men.

The home fans were left incensed by that decision, as well as Messi's reaction they believed had caused it, but the Argentinian's goal offered the perfect riposte.

Barcelona restored its hefty advantage over Atletico Madrid, which had cut the gap to two by beating Getafe Saturday.

Girona is now without a win in 10 matches, while Barca has managed eight league victories in a row.

Girona hustled and harried its opponents in the opening minutes but the goal was soft as it failed to clear three times before Semedo's left foot swept the ball into the bottom corner.

Barca was in control and should have made it two, only for Philippe Coutinho to hit the goalkeeper after Messi had sent him clear.

Girona survived and then grew into the game. Marc-Andre ter Stegen scuttled forward and back from Pedro Porro's cross and Espinosa should have headed in. Cristhian Stuani was denied by the goalkeeper's legs, with Porro's rebound cleared off the line by Gerard Pique.

It had the momentum before half-time but it was checked shortly after as Espinosa caught Suarez from behind and, after protests from Messi, was shown a second yellow card.

Messi was jeered and for a while the fury spurred Girona on. Stuani shot and then wanted a penalty while Aleix Garcia almost turned in Cristian Portugues' cross at the near post.

But it seemed inevitable Messi would have the final say. Luis Suarez threaded Jordi Alba through, with Messi unmarked in the middle.

Out rushed the goalkeeper but Messi's chip was so good, even the diving Porro was powerless to keep it out. Some of Girona's fans, previously furious, now stood up to applaud. — AFP


January 27, 2019
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