 |
| Mesi in action |
When the end came, it was startling in its ferocity. Back to front in a matter of seconds. In, out, like an assassin’s blade. One moment Barcelona were backed into a corner, the next, out they came from the dark alley, whistling. That is how it is with them. That is why they are so brilliant.
Barcelona’s goal was like a stiletto in the ribs. The deed done with such magnificent swiftness, it almost made an artist of the assassin. Arsenal were camped in Barcelona’s penalty area, when the ball was cleared. It fell to Neymar and, almost instantly, Arsenal’s fate was sealed.
 |
Neymar fed Luis Suarez on the left and already Arsenal seemed stretched. There were as many forwards as defenders but, for some reason, there seemed more. Suarez slipped it inside to Neymar and most world class forwards in that position would have shot.
 |
Yet Barcelona have a socialist approach to goalscoring. Neymar sensed Messi was better placed and gave it up for the little man.
Messi even had time to take a touch, delay his shot, cut inside before finishing smartly past Petr Cech – his first goal against him in seven matches.
Sadly, not his last. From there it all unravelled for Arsenal. It could have been two after 77 minutes when Messi found Neymar, whose shot was blocked. The ball fell to Suarez but from close range he hit the near post. Arsenal’s luck did not hold for long though.
There were 83 minutes gone when Per Mertesacker miscontrolled the ball under little pressure, Messi sensing an opportunity.
He raced in but was met only by a wild lunge from Mathieu Flamini, unnecessary and an obvious penalty. Referee Cuneyt Cakir pointed to the spot, Messi stepped up and made it two. Arsenal were done, and so was this tie. Source: Dailymail
No comments:
Post a Comment