Print

Mail

wiki links

Eto'o scores twice as Barcelona thrash Recreativo Huelva

Recreativo Huelva goalkeeper Lopez Vallejo reacts after Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o, No. 9 in the background, scored his second goal during their soccer match in Huelva, Spain, on Saturday. PHOTO: AP

Samuel Eto'o contributed two goals as Barcelona won their first away game in La Liga for four months with a 4-0 thrashing of Recreativo Huelva on Saturday.

The reigning Spanish champions stay on course for their third successive league title and have a three point lead over nearest rivals Sevilla, although the UEFA Cup winners have a game in hand.

However, Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard demonstrated the old adage that some people are never happy, despite the emphatic victory.

"I'm happy with the result but not the way we played. The early goal changed the plans and facilitated our victory but we didn't play well," the Dutch coach told a surprised audience at the post-match press conference.

"Deco and [Andres] Iniesta had a good game but we were fortunate to score at opportune moments. Nevertheless, winning away after four months is important," Rijkaard added.

Barca were quickly out of their blocks with Eto'o scoring just three minutes into the game.

He spotted Recreativo goalkeeper Javier Lopez Vallejo out of position and found the net with a long, looping shot from 30m.

Gianluca Zambrotta got his first league goal for Barca six minutes before the break when he chipped the ball past Lopez Vallejo from the corner of the six yard box following a pass by Deco.

Eto'o then added his second goal four minutes later and Lionel Messi completed Barca's quartet four minutes from time to give the Catalan club their best away victory in any competition this season.

The Argentine teenager sped past Recreativo's hapless defenders before unleashing a left foot shot from the edge of the area.

"This win is very important. We've not won away from home for so long," Messi said.

Sevilla had a good chance of beating struggling Celta Vigo yesterday, but they now have an acutely inferior goal difference to Barca.

Third-placed Valencia squandered their chance to close the gap on the leading pair in the Spanish first division when they went down 2-0 at home to Racing Santander earlier on Saturday.

Pedro Munitis put Racing in front after 20 minutes, finding the net from the edge of the six yard box following a pass by Nicola Zigic, and Oriol Lozano sealed the victory with a header from a Munitis corner after 63 minutes.
This story has been viewed 1258 times.