FC Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski scores their second objective from the penalty spot.
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
Poland striker Robert Lewandowski’s brace earned depleted Barcelona a 2-1 comeback win at Valencia of their opening recreation of the LaLiga season on Saturday (August 17, 2024).
Barca have been dominated by their hosts early within the match and fell behind when Valencia’s Hugo Duro netted a close-range header within the forty fourth minute.
The guests hit again shortly, nonetheless, scoring both facet of halftime by Lewandowski who tapped dwelling Lamine Yamal’s cross deep into added time earlier than the break and fired an unstoppable penalty into the highest nook after Raphinha was fouled simply after the interval.
Because of his strikes, the Hansi Flick period started with a gritty win in opposition to a troublesome facet at a sold-out Mestalla stadium regardless of Barcelona lacking a number of key gamers and that includes three 17-year-olds from the beginning of the sport.
With Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri, Gavi, Ronald Araujo, Frenkie De Jong and Ansu Fati all out with accidents and new signing Dani Olmo but to be registered with LaLiga because of Barca’s breach of Monetary Honest Play (FFP) guidelines, the German supervisor was compelled to be artistic in his choice.
Marc Bernal, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi — all nonetheless 17 — have been on the beginning checklist within the scorching warmth and humidity on the east coast of Spain.
Valencia dominated proceedings early and Rafa Mir was inches from scoring for the locals with two diving headers within the first jiffy, whereas Cubarsi nearly netted two personal objectives whereas attempting to deflect efforts by Andre Almeida and Diego Lopez.
One minute after Duro gave Valencia the lead, nonetheless, Cubarsi made an astonishing goalline clearance to disclaim Valencia a fast second when Mir had already overwhelmed goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen. That saved Barca within the recreation, paving the best way for Lewandowski’s double.
The Pole’s first objective was a results of a high quality collective effort with Alejandro Balde delivering a protracted cross from the left touchline to the again put up to satisfy 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, who turned the ball again alongside the six-yard field with a single contact, leaving Lewandowski with a easy tap-in.
Within the second minute of the second half, defender Cristhian Mosquera tripped Raphinha contained in the field, gifting a penalty to Barcelona which Lewandowski fired into the highest nook.
With Barca in entrance, the momentum of the sport modified utterly and the guests had a number of probabilities to increase their lead in opposition to a Valencia facet who appeared unable to seek out the spark to battle again.
