Saturday, December 7, 2013

Barça recover from a slow start

Barcelona's Copa del Rey campaign got off to a good start despite needing to overturn an early deficit against Segunda Division B side FC Cartagena.
The underdog home side took a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute, but Barça wore them down over the rest of the match, eventually winning 4-1 to take an aggregate lead.
The Catalans responded to Fernando's shock opener with two goals from Pedro either side of a Cesc Fàbregas strike, before Jean Dongou rounded off matters with the fourth in injury time.
Cartagena caught the Barcelona napping as Fernando split Carles Puyol and Marc Batra and ran on to a well place long ball. The striker took a single touch to settle the ball before firing a low shot past Pinto to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
With less than 10 minutes to go until the break, Pedro Rodríguez levelled for the visitors with an angled strike from Fàbregas' through ball.
The former Arsenal skipper then took matters into his own hands just before half time when he smacked home Adriano's cross.
The Blaugrana controlled the second half but couldn't pass to their lead until the 75th minute when Pedro broke down the Cartagena defense and beat Limones to make it 3-1. Barca youngster Jean-Marie Dongou added a fourth in the 90th minute.