FCB - Murcia 10/29 [R]

Game underway at Nou Camp

Starting line-up:

25 Victor Valdes
5 Carles Puyol
2 Michael Reiziger
8 Philip Cocu
14 Lopez Gerard
22 Sanz Luis Garcia
23 Thiago Motta
10 Gaucho Ronaldinho
12 Giovanni van Bronckhorst
20 Ricardo Quaresma
7 Javier Saviola


On the bench:
1 Recber Rustu
4 Rafael Marquez
27 Hernandez Oscar Lopez
21 Martinez Luis Enrique
6 Hernandez Xavi
9 Patrick Kluivert
37 Sergio Santamaria

 

Goals:

Saviola (40)
Xavi (56)
Ronaldinho (65)

Clean sheet at home and FINALLY A LEAGUE WIN AT HOME!!!

We move up to 5th spot in La Liga 5 points behind Real Madrid and Valencia, 6 pts behind Depor and 2 points behind 4th place Osasuna.

Considering our rough start to the season, we are not in too bad of shape.

Interesting that PK9 did not see the pitch tonight. We didnt need him, as we had Offense coming from Saviola and Ronaldinho.

Anybody see the match?

 

Barcelona 3-0 Murcia: FT Report

PA

BARCELONA, October 29 (Primera Liga) - Barcelona cruised to victory against Real Murcia on Wednesday night to earn their first league win of the season at the Nou Camp.

Goals from Javier Saviola, Xavi Hernandez, and Ronaldinho were enough to give Barca the three points and keep the visitors in the relegation zone.

Barca dominated possession in the opening spell of the game but found it difficult to break down a defensive Murcia who set their stall out from the start to keep players back.

With Patrick Kluivert starting as a substitute - the Dutchman having missed several games through injury - Barca lacked any focal point in attack. The diminutive Saviola was too often isolated and lacking the physical presence to hold the ball up for his colleagues.

Thiago Motta had the first chance of any note, flicking a header narrowly past the post after 22 minutes following a cross from Ronaldinho on the right wing.

While Barca were having most of the ball they were always open to counter-attacks.

Murcia had their first effort after 35 minutes with Richi trying his luck from the edge of the box, but his strike went well over the bar.

However, Barca did manage to break the deadlock five minutes before half-time through Saviola.

In a well-worked move, Gerard Lopez found Ronaldinho in midfield and he supplied the Argentine with Ricardo Quaresma dummying the ball in the process. Saviola struck the ball low into the corner of the net from inside the area.

Barca grew in confidence and on the stroke of half-time could have scored a second.

Following a goalmouth scramble Motta volleyed the ball goalwards and Murcia defender David Karanka headed the ball up onto the bar and then to safety.

Five minutes into the second half, Ronaldinho again set up Saviola with a long ball from midfield but this time the striker saw his shot saved by the feet of keeper Sanchez Broto.

Six minutes later and Barca did get their goal in a free-flowing attack started and finished by Xavi.

The Spanish international supplied Saviola who played in Luis Garcia on the left of the penalty area and he in turn crossed to Xavi in the six-yard box to tap the ball home.

In an almost carbon copy of the second goal, Ronaldinho grabbed the third.

Saviola found Luis Garcia on the left of the area and he crossed for the Brazilian to stab the ball over the line.

With the wind taken out of Murcia's sails they were unable to respond and Barca cruised the final half hour of the game.

Barca had chances to improve their total but poor control, especially from Quaresma and Luis Garcia, at the critical points kept the score-line down.