FCBARCELONA.CAT

24.02.2010 22:03

Lethal opening (23-19)

Verònica Díez

Barça Borges’ League title chances took a major knock with defeat away to BM Ciudad Real by 23-19. The home side’s strong start dictated the rest of the match.

Xavi Pascual’s side was playing catch up since going 5-0 after six minutes, but almost clawed their way back into it in the second half. Ciudad Real now go five points clear of Barça and the league title is as good as theirs.

Impossible to score

Ciudad Real went full on from the start through the Abalo-Sterbik-Kallman trio, and such devastating firepower saw the home side go 5-0 before their guests had barely warmed up. It took seven minutes for Cristian Ugalde to open the Barça Borges account, but otherwise it was as if the FCB frontline had come up against a brick wall.

Daniel Saric supported Barça from the goal and that helped them find three goals to get back into the game. Sarmiento made it 6-3 and Víctor Tomás got it to 7-4 by the 18th minute. But with Oneto in the sin bin, Ciudad Real scored two controversial goals (9-4) and by half time the score was 12-6.

Time to react

Barça went back to square one for the second half. They tightened things in defence and started finding chances up front. Iker Romero finally started finding his rhythm, and when Rubén Garabaya made it 16-13 there was renewed hope for Barcelona. It got better. Sarmiento and Romero created a 0-3 streak and there was just one goal in it at 17-16.

Barça looked capable of a comeback, but the shock merely stirred the side from La Mancha up into more action. Hombrados saved a penalty as they scored four to no reply to make it 21-16, and all that FCB hard work counted for nothing. Once again they had a five point deficit to deal with and there were going to be no miracles. Ciudad Real ended the game with two class saves from Sterbik, and few would now bet against them becoming Asobal champions.