FCBARCELONA.CAT

11.04.2009 20:01

Romero leads team win (32-21)

Verònica Díez

Barça Borges have convincingly beaten Portland San Antonio (32-21). Iker Romero with 10 goals headed a good team performance. After forty minutes of evenly balanced play, the Catalans were able to close the game out.

The Pamplona outfit started well and remained in the game during the whole of the first half and part of the second. However, the lack of replacements due to the seven players missing from their squad then became apparent and Barcelona Borges took full advantage of the opportunity.

Home support in the Palau was once again crucial as the 4,311-strong crowd roared on their team throughout the game.

Nip and tuck first half

Portland scored the first two goals of the game and Barça’s lack of finesse in front of goal meant they were unable to take the lead for nine minutes when Iker Romero scored the third of a streak of four unanswered goals to turn the game around at 6-4. From then on the match was nip and tuck with Barça eventually going into the break two up at 15-13.

Iker Romero and Laszlo Nagy starred in Barça Borges’s attack in the first half, while Kasper Hvidt and the defence led by Magnus Jernemyr also put in sterling performances.

High level

Xavi Pascual’s men put the pedal to the metal at the restart and gradually took control of the game. Romero scored twice and Ugalde once to make it 20-15 after 7 minutes of the second half and soon afterwards braces from Romero, Juanín and Lozano settled the game at 30-18. The visitors’ heads dropped and they couldn’t keep pace with Barça who played in their favourite way using strong defence to build counterattacks to run out winners by 32-21.