Barça 3-2 Noia Freixenet: Close fought victory

This was a game that went right down to the wire. Barça won 3-2 against Noia Freixenet in the first game back in the OK Liga after the European Championship. The win reasserts Edu Castro’s position at the top of the table, with nine wins in nine games, with new continental champions Pau Bargalló and Sergi Panadero excelling, but Joao Rodrigues, Helder Nunes and Alabart all out after testing positive for Covid-19.

Barça missed an early penalty before Jordi Bargalló put the visitors ahead on 17 minutes, but Sergi Panadero levelled things before the break.

Thanks to the 10^th visiting foul, Sergi Llorca was able to put the blaugrana ahead, and Pau Bargalló penalty then made it 3-1.

Noia Freixenet refused to be subdued and a long strike from Toni Salvadó meant we were going into a nail-biting last few minutes in which Barça could have extended their lead but the visitors could just as easily have equalised.

MATCH STATS

Barça: Sergio Fernandez, Pau Bargalló, Nil Roca, Sergi Llorca, Matias Pascual, Sergi Pandero & Uri Llenas. 

Noia Freixenet: Blai Roca, Aleix Esteller, Toni Salvadó, Jordi Bargalló, Roc Pujadas, Eloi Mitjans & Alex Joseph.

Goals: 0-1, Blai Roca (min 17); 1-1, Sergi Panadero (min 18); 2-1, Sergi Llorca (min 28); 3-2, Toni Salvadó (min 34).