Ezquerro brace upholds Barca amidst attacks from the Blaugrana including a strike at the woodwork by Bojan Krkic.


Match Report: Wednesday 02/10/2008 18:00 hrs

Copa Del Rey 1/16
FC BARCELONA - CD ALCOYANO 2 - 2 ( 2-0 )


Stadium: Camp Nou, Barcelona

Capacity: 98,772
Attendance: 30,504

Referee: Teixeira Vitienes


Goals:
1-0 Ezquerro ( 2' )

2-0 Ezquerro ( 10' )
2-1 Perona ( 69' pen. )

2-2 Arnau ( 90' )


Cautions:
Yellow Card :


FC Barcelona - Deco ( 60' )


CD Alcoyano - Barrena ( 64' ) , Garrido ( 71' )


Line-Up:

FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Oier, Sanchez ( Crosas, 60 ), Puyol, Thuram ( Valiente, 46' ), Sylvinho, Edmilson, Deco, Gudjohnsen, Bojan, Giovani, Ezquerro
Manager: Frank Rijkaard


CD Alcoyano(4-4-2): Maestro, Barrena, Carrion, Garrido, Itturalde, Serio Mora, Perona, Moina ( Arnau, 81' ), Diego Jimenez ( Felix Prieto, 39' ), Barselleta ( Burguena, 60' ), Tasio

Manager: Jose Bordalas


Match Report:


FC Barcelona booked their place in the next round of the Copa Del Rey with a 2-2 draw against Alcoyano, in a match which the Catalan giants were never forced to play under pressure. Barca dominated the game from start to finish, going ahead with the first goal in as early as the 2nd minute through Santi Ezquerro who latched in on a rebound from a shpt taken by Deco to end a brilliant team build-up. Ezquerro returned eight minutes later to slot in his second goal of the match, after getting a perfect pass from mercurial teenager, Bojan Krkic. The Blaugran continued to dictate he pace of the game, with some occassional brilliance coming from Alcoyano, who managed to win some corners before the first half ended.


Barca continued their dominace in the second half, with Bojan Krkic striking the woodwork and continuing Barca's habit of hitting the post.


Things later changed in the 69th minute when Eidur Gudjohnsen handled the ball in the Barca 18 yard box. The resultant penalty was tucked in by ex-Barca player, Perona to make the score 2-1. Bojan Krkic and Ezquerro lost chances to make it three goals for FC barcelona, as the strikers were not just lucky for a thrid goal. A goal did come, but to the visitors, after Arnau got a 90th minute game to level scores following a sprirted effort from the visitors.


The match ended 2-2, meaning that FC Barcelona secured the ticket to the next round after trouncing Alcoyano 3-0 in their own backyard during the first leg. The draws for the next round will be held on Friday 04 January 2008.


My Comments:
The first leg score meant there was no pressure on Barca to play extra-ordinarily, especially as an important La Liga match against Mallorca is awaiting the Blaugrana on Saturday.


Barca played well with a mixture of both regular and irregular players. Lots of kudos goes to Ezquerro for his great performance and grabbing a brace despite being out of top action for some time now.


FC Barcelona will play a more compact and goal-oriented game against Mallorca, and a different Barca team will be seen on that night.