Barcelona moved 4 factors clear within the race for second place in LaLiga EA SPORTS after a 2-0 win over Almeria on the Energy Horse Stadium on Thursday night time.
Fermin Lopez was the star man for the Blaugrana, opening the scoring within the first half and later including a second after the restart as Xavi’s males comfortably took all three factors from their journey to Andalusia.
Xavi made 4 adjustments from their victory over Actual Sociedad on Monday, with three gamers aged 17 and underneath – Lamine Yamal, Hector Fort and Pau Cubarsi – named within the beginning lineup.
Almeria had simply two victories to their title all season heading into the competition, and the already-relegated facet did what they may to bother Barcelona in entrance of their dwelling followers.
AP
However issues received off to a rocky begin when left-back Fort stepped inside on his proper foot, whipped in a elegant supply to the far put up and there was Fermin Lopez to go dwelling previous the helpless Luis Maximiano after simply 14 minutes.
It was Lopez’s sixth LaLiga purpose of the season, regardless of beginning solely 12 video games from midfield, with the 21-year-old proving to be extra helpful with each sport for Xavi.
Not lengthy after, Almeria ought to have levelled when Lazaro put Leo Baptistao via one on one with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, however the Brazilian one way or the other did not hit the goal.
Having already pulled off an outrageous piece of talent, the 16-year-old Lamine Yamal almost doubled Barca’s benefit simply earlier than the half-hour mark, solely to strike the put up from a decent angle.
Almeria pay for squandering possibilities
Then it was the hosts’ flip to hit the put up earlier than the half-time whistle, with Jonathan Viera feeding Adri Embarba contained in the field and the winger’s shot cannoned again off the woodwork to maintain the Blaugrana’s slender lead intact.
EFE
After the break, many would have anticipated Barca to take management of the sport. However with 48 minutes on the clock, solely Lozano will understand how he blazed over from 12 yards after Cubarsi had dispossessed Viera.
The tempo of the match dropped from there, with Barcelona including a second and all however securing the win within the 66th minute. Sergi Roberto made a galloping run ahead down the left, and his low cross was expertly fired dwelling by Fermin Lopez to double his and Barcelona’s tally.
The purpose ended Almeria’s already slim probabilities of a comeback, with the ultimate minutes enjoying out to little fanfare as the house facet slumped to their twenty third defeat of the marketing campaign. As for Barcelona, they give the impression of being set for a second-place end due to a four-point benefit over Girona with simply two matches remaining.
