01.05.2010 19:29
Comeback takes valuable points (2-1)
www.fcbarcelona.cat
Barça chalked up another win to take them closer to confirming their 2nd place. Luis Enrique’s team dominated for the 90 minutes and pulled back from a 1st half goal by Borja for Valencia to take the points thanks to goals from Soriano and Montoya.
Barca Atlètic started strongly and Víctor Vàzques and Elvis both hit the woodwork in the first five
minutes, but it was the visitors who went ahead when Borja connected with a 17th minute corner,
much against the run of play. Barca didn’t let that setback get to them though and the
chances kept coming with Elvis, Víctor Vàzquez, Ivan Benítez and Edu Oriol all having opportunities
to equalise.
It was one-way traffic throughout the half, particularly once Valencia
had been reduced to 10 men with the sending off of Riau after a straight red, but the visitors rode
their luck and went in one up at the break.
Goals finally come
Luis Enrique made his intentions clear in the second half by bringing on Jonathan Soriano for
defender Ivan Benítez and the move paid dividends on 57 minutes when Soriano met a cross from Edu
Oriol on the right to bring the scores level.
With Barca Atlètic now laying siege to the Valencia goal, the second
was just a matter of time before Elvis, who was a constant threat throughout the game, latched onto
another Edu Oriol cross, this time from the left, for Montoya to poke home and put his team in
front. Elvis, Nolito and Edu Oriol all had chances to put the game out of sight, but in the end the
two goals were enough for three valuable points.
Second place virtually assured
The reserves are now second in their league on 73 points, five ahead of Ontinyent, who travel
to Denia on Sunday and if they don’t get a win, Luis Enrique’s team will know they have
taken second place before playing Oriola in the last game of the regular season.
STATS
Barça Atlètic, 2
València Mestalla, 1
FCB Atlètic: Masip, Montoya, Plana, Ivan Benítez (Jonathan Soriano min 45), Sergi
Gómez, Ilie, Edu Oriol, Víctor Vàzquez, Elvis, Sergi Roberto (Espinosa min 58), Gai (Nolito min
63).
Valencia Mestalla: Dani, Arturo, Sergio Rodríguez, Borja, Hector, Carles, Cases
(Juan Pablo, min 73), Ximo (Sergio Cuesta, min 67), Forner, Miñano, Timor (Álvaro, min 80), Riau.
Referee: Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea
Goals: 0-1 Borja (min 17), 1-1 Jonathan Soriano (min 57), 2-1 Montoya (min 75).