Football is a cruel game and Barça went down to a cruel defeat in the U20 Intercontinental final against Brazilian side Flamengo. After a 2-2 draw in regulation time, a penalty shoot out defeat in the Maracaná stadium in Rio de Janeiro saw the South Americans crowned champions. 

 

Lorran strikes but Barça react 

A Barça U20 side coach by Brazilian Juliano Belletti saw themselves fall behind early on when Lorran finished into an empty with Barça keeper Eder Aller down injured. The blaugranes kept their cool and just before half time Virgili went close to levelling things up. 

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Great goal from Jan Virgili

Coach Belletti made changes at half time and Barça pressed on for the equaliser. It eventually came in the 71st minute when Virgili scored a brilliant solo goal in front of the 45,000 plus crowd to make it 1-1.

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Wild ending and penalties 

The game appeared to heading for a draw but in the 95th minute Cortés made it 2-1 to the blaugranes with a goal from a corner that appeared to have won it for Barça. However, there was still enough injury time for Iago to head home and make it 2-2. The game headed into a penalty shoot out and the advantage ebbed and flowed before the Brazilians finally squeezed ahead and claimed the Intercontinental title in cruel fashion for the blaugranes. 

MATCH STATS 

Flamengo U20: 2
Barça U20: 2

Flamengo U20: Nannetti; Daniel Sales, Joao Víctor, Iago Teodoro, Gusttavo (Joao Carbone 57'); Joao Alves (Fabiano 78'), Guilherme Gomes (Pablo Lucio 64'); Lorran, Matheus Gonçalves, Joshua (Felipe Teresa 78'); Pedro Leao (Shola 57').

Barça U20: Eder Aller; Xavi Espart, Cuenca, Cortés, Farré (Oduro 90+4'); Pedro Rodríguez (Tommy 46'), Fariñas (Parriego 88'), Junyent (Kluivert 46'); Juan Hernández, Gistau (Sama 79') and Jan Virgili.

Goals: 1-0, Lorran (min. 11); 1-1, Jan Virgili (min. 71); 2-1, Álvaro Cortés (min. 95); 2-2, Iago Teodoro (min. 96)

 

Força Barça