Barcelona do enough to beat Sporting de Gijon
Barcelona claimed their first home win in La Liga this season on Wednesday evening, as the Catalans defeated Sporting Gijon 1–0 at the Camp Nou.
Pep Guardiola's team struggled to capitalize on their goal-scoring chances in Lionel Messi's absence, but the team managed to protect its lead after David Villa scored in the early stages of the second
half.
"It has not been a brilliant game but it was a good match. The attitude has been perfect and I'm sure the next day we'll do better," said Guardiola, who believed that his team would have scored many more
goals if Messi, who was left out with an ankle injury, had been fit to play.
"This time we didn't get after the opposition which is what you need to do against opponents that sit back and don't come at you. We lacked a second goal which would have given us peace."
Villa gets his aim right
Villa, once a Sporting player, was sent through by Andres Iniesta on the left-had side of the penalty area after seven minutes, but his deflected shot was saved by Pichu Cuellar.
Then it was Iniesta's turn to test the keeper, as the midfielder brought down a long ball before smashing a half-volley that the keeper managed to save.
Sporting had their first chance in the 11th minute, when Mate Bilic's quick turn on the edge of the area found him enough space to hit a shot wide of Victor Valdes' right post.
Villa found received another ball to the left in the box, but this time his left-footed effort was dragged just wide of the right post. With 43 minutes gone, the striker, once again supplied by Iniesta,
hit another shot from the left in the side-netting of Cuellar's goal.
Guardiola made two changes at the start of the second half, as Gerard Pique replaced Carlos Puyol and Pedro Rodriguez came on for Seydou Keita.
Finally on target
In the 48th minute, Villa, on the right side this time, escaped Sporting's offside trap to run on to Daniel Alves' through ball. The Spaniard took a couple of touches before sending his shot over a crouching
Cuellar and into the far corner for a 1-0 lead.
Barcelona continued to dominate possession, but with all of Sporting's players behind the ball, shots from distance were the best opportunities afforded the Spanish champions. Villa produced a quick turn
and a lob over Cuellar in the 86th minute, but his bold attempt drifted wide of the goal.
Sporting sent men forward in the dying minutes of the match, but it was too late to prevent Barcelona from claiming a narrow but important home win.
The Catalans travel to face Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Tags: