Sporting de Portugal 3-2 Barça: Title slips away
The FC Barcelona roller hockey just missed out on adding another trophy to their collection after 3-2 defeat in the final of the World Club Cup in Argentina against Sporting de Portugal. The blaugranes fell to defeat in extra time with Ferran Font's brace not enough to bring home the silverware. a.
Sporting go ahead
Sporting had the better of the early exchanges even though both sides had chances to open the scoring. Aragonés, Barroso and Alabart for Barça all came up against an inspired Xano Edo in goal for Sporting. Barça keeper Sergi Fernández also played his part in keeping it scoreless with a penalty save from Nolito Romero. However, the blaugrana could nothing to prevent Alessandro Verona making it 1-0 to Sporting with a long distance effort.
Ferran Font brace
Coach Ricard Ares called for a time out and that settled his side. Ferran Font levelled things on 20 minutes with a clever finish. Both sides were wary of conceding before half time and so the teams went in at the break with the score at 1-1.
In the second half Barça took the lead when Ferran Font scored his second on 29 minutes. 2-1 down, Sporting threw caution to the wind as the game opened up. Xano Edo made a great save to deny Font a hat-trick and on 42 minutes Nolito Romero made it 2-2 to take the game into extra time.
Extra times started off in the worst possible fashion for Barça. Sporting’s Verona scored his second of the game to put the Portuguese club in front. Ricard Ares’ team pressed but the goal never came and the blaugranes were resigned to missing out as Sporting were proclaimed World Club Cup champions.
The next challenge for the team is in the OK League as with a game against Sant Just on Saturday 11 October at 8pm CEST.
MATCH STATS
Sporting de Portugal, 3
Barça, 2
Sporting de Portugal: Xano Edo, Rafa Bessa, Alessandro Verona, Facundo Navarro, Nolito Romero -starting five- Zé Diogo, Diogo Barata, Roc Pujades, Santiago Honório and Henrique Magalhaes.
Barça: Sergi Fernández, Ignacio Alabart, Ferran Font, Sergi Aragonès, Marc Grau -starting five- Carles Grau, Xavi Barroso, Sergi Llorca and Eloi Cervera.
Goals: 1-0, Verona (min 12); 1-1, Ferran Font (min 20); 1-2, Ferran Font (min 29); 2-2, Nolito Romero (min 42); 3-2, Verona (min 52).