Barcelona’s attacking trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann all got on the scoresheet for the first time together yesterday in a 3-0 win away to Sociedad Deportiva Eibar, which took the La Liga champions to the top of the table.
The Catalans lead the standings for the first time this season on 19 points after nine games, although Real Madrid, who had 18 points, could have retaken the top spot when they visited RCD Mallorca later yesterday.
Griezmann put Barca ahead in the 13th minute after a route-one move from his side as Clement Lenglet launched the ball from the heart of the defense downfield to release the France forward, who calmly slotted inside the near post.
Photo: EFE
The three forwards all combined for the next two goals in a sign that the trio are finally gelling after a stop-and-start season interrupted by injuries to Messi and Suarez.
Suarez brought the ball into the area for Griezmann to slide it across so that Messi could score in the 58th minute.
Griezmann was the architect of the third goal, rolling the ball from deep downfield into the path of Messi, who then squared for Suarez to tap into an empty net in the 66th minute.
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
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