Barça 5-3 Noia Freixenet: First game in the bag

First game of the tie in the bag. The blaugranes lead their contest with Noia Freixent thanks to a 5-3 win in the first game in the Palau Blaugrana. Edu Castro's team got the better of their defensively sound opponents in the final minutes of the contest with two late goals after Noia had rallied from 3-1 down. 

The second game comes on Sunday at 12.30pm CEST away form home in Sant Sadurní and a win for Barça will see them through to the next round. 

Defences on top 

After having lost 8-1 at the Palau during the regular season, Noia set out to make life difficult for the blaugranes. Nevertheless, the home side took the lead in just the fifth minute through Pau Bargalló. Noia struck back almost immediately with Esteller making it 1-1 on 10 minutes. The visitors held firm for most of the rest of the first half before Bargalló scored again to restore Barça's lead just before half time. 

Reply in the final minutes 

Barça began the second half as they had ended the first; finding the net. Helder Nunes made it 3-1 after a great move involving Bargalló and João Rodrigues. Noia did not panic and got themselves right back into the contest with goals from Esteller and Gil with just seven minutes remaining. 

Edu Castro's side held their nerve and goals from Marc Grau and João Rodrigues sealed a 5-2 win in the first match of the best of three tie. 

MATCH STATS 

Barça, 5
Noia Freixenet, 3

Barça: Sergi Fernandez, Ignacio Alabart, Pau Bargalló, Helder Nunes, Joao Rodrigues - starting five - Marc Grau, Sergi Llorca

Noia Freixenet: Blai Roca, Aleix Esteller, Xavier Costa, Jordi Bargalló, Adrià Ballart - starting five - Kyllian Gil, Antoni Salvadó, Eloi Mitjans, Martí Gabarró

Goals: 1-0, Pau Bargalló (min. 5); 1-1, Aleix Esteller (min. 14); 2-1, Pau Bargalló (min. 25); 3-1, Helder Nunes (min. 27); 3-2, Aleix Esteller (min. 32); 3-3, Kyllian Gil (min. 43); 4-3, Marc Grau (min. 43); 5-3, Joao Rodrigues (min. 45).