Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his aspect’s 2nd purpose from the penalty spot throughout Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Barcelona at El Sadar stadium in Pamplona, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023.| Photo Credit: AP
For a second straight sport, Robert Lewandowski got here to Barcelona's rescue after he earned and transformed an 86th-minute penalty to seize a 2-1 win for Barcelona at Osasuna on Sunday.
Lewandowski's winner got here 10 minutes after substitute Chimy Ávila equalized for Osasuna. Barcelona defender Jules Koundé headed within the opening purpose in first-half damage time.
Barcelona’s win saved it two factors behind Spanish league chief Real Madrid after 4 rounds.
Lewandowski additionally scored the winner for Barcelona in a 4-3 thriller at Villarreal final weekend.
“He is a natural-born scorer,” coach Xavi Hernández mentioned about Lewandowski, who helped Barcelona get better the league title final 12 months after he arrived from Bayern Munich.
“Maybe he didn’t have that many touches today, but even if he hadn’t scored, it would have been a great game by him,” Xavi mentioned. “His goals have given us back-to-back wins.”
The sport in Pamplona included the debuts of João Cancelo and João Félix as second-half substitutes. The Portugal gamers joined Barcelona on mortgage offers simply earlier than the shut of the summer season switch window on Friday night time.
Osasuna performed the ultimate minutes with 10 males after Alejandro Catena earned a purple card for his foul on Lewandowski with solely goalkeeper Aitor Fernández to beat. Lewandowski's purpose from the ensuing penalty was his second of the season.
For Xavi, the win was not fairly but it surely was properly earned at Osasuna, a group which reached the Copa del Rey remaining final season and whose bodily model places most guests to the take a look at.
“We didn't play our best game, and in some stages we weren’t patient enough or able to create scoring chances,” Xavi mentioned. “(But) the truth is the team worked hard. Today we put on our work clothes. We knew how to dig in and get the win.”
Koundé broke by way of in first-half damage time when he dismissed his marker and headed a nook kick by Ilkay Gundogan contained in the far submit and out of attain of Fernández.
Cancelo made his first look instead simply two days after he joined Barcelona on mortgage from Manchester City. The proper again changed Sergi Roberto with simply over half an hour to go.
Shortly after, Osasuna coach Jagoba Arrasate renewed his complete assault, sending on Chimy, Ante Budimir and Kike Barja. The hosts quickly pressed Barcelona into defending its space.
Chimy’s equalizer was much like so many objectives scored by fellow Argentine Lionel Messi for Barcelona. Apparently properly marked by Alejandro Balde outdoors the realm, Chimy sped from proper to left alongside the sting of the field earlier than unleashing a left-footed strike that curled round a gaggle of defenders and went in off the submit.
After Chimy’s purpose, Félix, who arrived from Atletico Madrid, went on with 10-plus minutes remaining.
Lewandowski and Frenkie de Jong linked up in time to tug out the win. De Jong, who had began the sport with a shot off the submit, met a run by Lewandowski with a protracted ball that the Poland striker used one contact to manage — simply earlier than he tumbled when Catena yanked his arm.
“We played a great game,” Arrasate mentioned. “It is too bad that we can’t show anything for it. But this is the way forward.”
Central defender Iñigo Martínez additionally made his Barcelona debut within the remaining moments of the sport. The former Athletic Bilbao participant had been injured since signing for Barcelona this summer season as a free agent.
Sixteen-year-old Yamine Lamal made a 3rd consecutive begin for Barcelona. On Friday {the teenager} was known as up for Spain’s nationwide group for the primary time for upcoming European Championship qualifiers.
Atletico Madrid's dwelling sport towards Sevilla scheduled for Sunday was postponed forward of forecasts of heavy rain in central Spain, the Spanish league mentioned.
The Spanish league mentioned it postponed the match after contemplating the warnings from Spain's nationwide climate service and the advice of Madrid’s municipal authorities.
Cristian “Portu” Portugués scored an 88th-minute winner to provide Girona a 1-0 win over Las Palmas in his first sport since returning to his former membership.
The ahead, who signed for Girona on Friday, had performed for the Catalan membership from 2016 to 2019 earlier than stints with Real Sociedad and Getafe.
The undefeated Girona is the early shock of the league and is degree on factors with Barcelona. Besides Las Palmas, Girona beat Sevilla and Getafe, and drew towards Sociedad.
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