Barça Lassa – F.C. Porto: Cruel defeat (1-1, 0-1)

Barça Lassa – F.C. Porto: Cruel defeat (1-1, 0-1)

The champs fall in a penalty shootout and will not defend their European title

It wasn't to be. Barça Lassa will be unable to defend their European crown in the final after falling to Porto in a penalty shootout in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon. The shootout was as tense as any, coming after Barça had gone ahead on the scoreboard thanks to Matias Pascual before Gonçalo Alves drew Porto level in the second half. In the end, the luck was on the side of the Portuguese side, keeping the Catalans from racking up their sixth title of the season.

Pascual's goal was a beauty that he placed into the upper corner after just four minutes of play, staking Barça out to a 1-0 lead. Barça had multiple chances to extend the lead in the first half, but were thwarted by Porto's goalkeeper and the post.

Porto tied the game four minutes into the second half, when Alves scored from close range. Barça goalkeeper Sergi Fernández was stellar both late in the game and in overtime. But with the match still mired in a deadlock, it went to a penalty shootout, in which Hélder Nunes was the only player to find the net, handing the win to Porto.

Game Stats

FCB, 1 (0)
Porto, 1 (1)

Barça Lassa: Sergi Fernández, Marc Gual, M.Pascual, Pablo Álvarez, Pau Bargalló —STARTING FIVE— Nil Roca, Ignacio Alabart, João Rodrigues.

Porto: Carles Grau, Rafa, Nalo Garcia, Gonçalo Alves, Hélder Nunes—STARTING FIVE— Filipe (P.S), Telmo Pinto, Cocco, Poka.

Goals: 1-0 M.Pascual (min. 4), 1-1 Gonçalo Alves (min.25)

Shootout: 0-0 Gonçalo Alves (miss), 0-0 Joao Rodrigues (miss), 0-0 Poka (miss), 0-0 Pablo Álvarez (miss), Nalo (miss), 0-0 Ignacio Alabart, 0-1 Hélder Nunes (goal), 0-1 Marc Gual (miss), 0-1 Telmo Pinto (miss) i 0-1 Pau Bargalló (miss).

Referees: Luca Molli and Claudio Ferraro (Italy). Blue card to Carles Grau (min. 19), Marc Gual (min. 25 i 58) and red to Sergio Fernández (penalties).

Attendance: 725

Venue: Pavilhao Joao Rocha

Faltes: 9-9

Força Barça
Força Barça

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