Barca Alusport lost a regular season game at the Palau for the first time in a year and almost three months, thus ending a spectacular record, but above all the game last Friday has served as a reminder that the team who deserve to win don’t always win.

Barça deserved the 3 points, they attacked for the whole game, but had the worst luck in the world. Forty minutes of constant attack, but poor finishing, by a Barça team, that exasperated the crowd and let the 3 points go to Lugo, where they’ll probably build a monument to goalkeeper Mendiola and his posts.

Early goal

Barça dominated from the start and Wilde, who never appears to suffer the FIFA virus, opened the scoring within 2 minutes, beating Mendiola from a tricky angle with a powerful left-foot strike.

1-0 at the very start, and it might have had some people thinking it would be a comfortable match, but it became clear that something was missing after the week that Barca Alusport has had. Azkar Lugo, knowing that today might be a good day to tackle Barça, woke up, with the inspiration of their international Matamoros and after a couple of chances well saved by Paco Sedano, they equalised. A quick counter attack by Genaro was finished off by Miguel with a shot that went through the goalkeeper’s legs..

A thundering shot onto the post by Fernandao paved the way to total domination by the home side, who went in search of the second goal. Chances came and went, but Barça lacked a certain fluidity and accurate passing. Azkar had given notice with a couple of quick counter-attacks that came to nothing, but Bruno Garcia’s team were happy as the minutes ticked by, and they were still in the game, thanks to some very good saves from Mendiola..

It seemed that the next goal had to come, with the power and number of Barça attacks, but when it did come, it came at the wrong end. A defensive mistake left a 2 to 1 with the goalkeeper and Miguel struck again. Azkar Lugo now had exactly the match they wanted, 1-2 at the break and a certain uneasiness in the home crowd.

Flying start….no accuracy

Barça came flying out of the blocks in the second half, aware of the fact that they needed something more than technical superiority. They were close to the equaliser lots of times, but chances like Saad’s, who missed a sitter practically on the goal-line, and Lin who smacked the crossbar with a great shot, gave an indication that it might not be their day.

The game was played almost entirely in Azkar’s half, but Mendiola and the lack of definition weren’t helping Barça Alusport. The home crowd got behind the team, not willing to accept that the goal wouldn’t come. Lin reappeared, but this time to make a goal-line clearance following the only attack from the away team in the second half. Barça were ever closer to the goal they deserved.

With five and a half minutes to go, and aware of the lack of marksmanship and especially luck, Carmona took a risk by playing Chico as rush-goalkeeper. The Brazilian came close to scoring with two free shots, but Mendiola was equal to the task, also saving from Saad and Wilde. As icing on the cake Wilde saw a terrific shot come back off the crossbar.

Barca’s constant pressure had absolutely no reward, and then, an error, the only one in the second half, led to the third and final Azkar goal. Genaro slipped the ball into an empty net, closing out the game, a game where the winning side certainly didn’t deserve it.