A special mention must go here to the Sky Sports commentary team. Terry Gibson and Rob Palmer were managing to reach patronising heights I haven't glimpsed since Spain beat Tahiti 10-0 in the Confederations Cup. Guys, you can't really say you're making an attempt 'being fair', and then describe a team as "a bunch of journeymen". 'Bunch' tends to be exclusively used to belittle a group of people; to make them sound rag-tag. Saying things like "there will be no counter-attacks" shows that you're not being fair. Of course Barcelona were almost certainly going to win this game easily; but L'Hospitalet almost drew against Atletico Madrid (who did better than Barca in the league and in Europe last season), and "little" Huesca are on a four game winning run. They also spent 2008-2013 in the second division, so they really aren't that bad. In future, Sky, I'd recommend assigning this duo to Italy's cup competition, where their infatuation with big clubs will find a more appreciative audience.
Disclosure: I don't generally make a habit of fawning over Barcelona, and don't buy into the idea of them being 'the people's club', as if they are somehow 'purer' than Real. And after Gibson and Palmer had been so unkind, I was rooting hard for Huesca.
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| Camacho finds Guillem with an excellent pass; Ter Stegen saves with his leg |
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| Rakitic hit the post from another free-kick |
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| Pedro beats David Jimenez at his near post to make it 3-0 |
It could have been 4 or 5 by half-time, and Munir El-Haddadi was very unlucky not to be on the scoresheet, especially at the very end when a deflected Pedro shot bounced wide via his shin. Of course, Palmer declared it "R.I.P. Huesca" after 45 minutes.
Another, even better chance came off Munir's shin just after the restart. Although it wasn't looking like his night, he is clearly very highly thought of, having been rushed into the Spain set-up just so that he won't play for Morocco in the future. Which is a football 'tactic' I am none too fond of, as it means if Munir falls between the two sides, he's going to be screwed. Huesca were also creating chances, though unfortunately for them, whilst they were better than L'Hospitalet, Barcelona were also better - a lot better - than Atletico had been. Rakitic was impressive, and the returning-to-fitness Iniesta oozed quality in his passing, positioning and shooting.
Guillem Marti's persistence for Huesca deserves a special mention. Ayoze Perez moved from Tenerife to Newcastle, and is enjoying favour and goals in the English top flight; Guillem's chance to shine came tonight. He gave Mathieu a thoroughly uncomfortable night, looking energetic and strong all game, and deserved a goal.
Mathieu was withdrawn for Edgar just before three quarters of the game had been played. He looked assured, strong, and generally competent, playing on the right side of the centre-back pairing. Within about 5 minutes of coming on, you could actually hear the away fans singing 'Edgar! Edgar!' to a repetitive drum beat. Unless it was the home fans singing 'Huesca!', I mean. Which I'll concede is equally likely. But I am allowed that one, if Terry Gibson can say, in his paid commentary role for Sky Sports, that Marc-Andre ter Stegen has come through the Barcelona youth system.
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| Rafinha makes it 4-0, with the help of a couple of reflections |
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| Guillem was let in in the 83rd minute by an awful Douglas pass, but was stopped by Edgar then, and Bartra shortly afterwards |
Sandro Ramires scored an offside goal in stoppage time, and so the
first leg ended 4-0. I look forward to seeing Edgar, Sergi Roberto, Sergi Samper and Sandro again in the second leg - but really, I'll be hoping that Guillem Marti can get a goal back.
Atletico Nacional 1 - 1 River Plate
Both these teams are still fighting in their domestic championships, but their best chance at winning silverware comes in these two head-to-head games, the Copa Sudamericana final.
Whilst Nacional could set up a final game against their Medellin rivals Independiente, to put them in with a chance of winning four titles in a row, in the game between the two legs of River's semi-final,
they picked a second string side to face Racing, and lost. The Argentinian FA have moved the final games of both teams back, so it is now after the second leg of this final. River will need their near neighbours to throw away their advantage if they are to win the transitional Primera Division tournament, lasting one iteration before a calendar year-based, 30 team tournament starts in 2015.
For the first 20 minutes, the Colombian hosts were running the game. El Verde had come through a gruelling penalty shoot-out in their semi-final, whilst River had narrowly edged a Superclasico against Boca, winning by the only goal in two legs.
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| Funes Mori manages to cut out this cross before it found one of two green shirts |
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| Right back Mammana's cross was just too far for the stretching Gutierrez in the 33rd minute |
Shortly after River cheekily created the game's best chance, Orlando Berrio broke down Los Verde's right side. Barovero thought he was going to cross...
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| ... but he didn't, instead he shot the Medellin side into the lead |
And Berrio tested Barovero again shortly after, with a fierce drive from a similar position. River had won every game in South America's second club competition up until the first leg of their semi-final (drawn 0-0). They were going to need to up their game to have any chance of ending the tournament unbeaten.
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| The next chance went to Berrio's colleague on the left, Copete, whose control let the ball get away from him |
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| An unmarked Copete then wasted this header in first half stoppage time |
The first of three halves ended with Atletico 1 goal and 5 shots up on River.
And the second starts with more purpose from Los Millionarios, Gutierrez setting up Sanchez, and Sanchez's follow forcing a save.
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| Marcelo Gallardo watches as River's revival is interrupted by lots of flares |
Teo was working hard, and Ponzio was starting to get a hold of the newly-stretched game. Seeing this, Gallardo brought on Augusto Solari for Mammana.
This attack-minded change almost yielded an immediate result:
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| Perez (near post) hits the bar to Barovero's right, with a diving header set up by Berrio's chip |
River were gambling.
They would need to score before Nacional came back into it, especially as they still looked vulnerable at the back.
Some space opened up for Leonardo Pisculichi:
Piscu curled it around Armani, and made it 1-1.
Gallardo could have reacted by consolidating; instead, he went for the jugular. Cavenaghi, famed classical hero and one-time killer of Moby Dick, was brought on for Rodrigo Mora.
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| Funes Mori should have headed home a River free-kick to make it 2-1 |
Gallardo brought on Matias Kranevitter, a
hotly tipped young defensive midfielder, for Pisculichi, with a quarter of the game gone. The thinking being something like, 'smash and grab'.
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| Lying down for Colombia |
Gutierrez dropped deep to try and provide Ponzio and Kranevitter with passing options. Meanwhile, it was looking increasingly like Nacional had expended all their explosive power and confidence.
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| Cavenaghi floats the final good chance of the match over the bar from within the area, but River will fly back very happy with their second half transformation |
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