[ad_1]
Real Madrid stunned Barcelona with an early goal in their Clasico cup semi-final first leg but Malcom popped up for his first Camp Nou goal to leave the tie finely balanced ahead of the second leg at the end of the month.
Barcelona will hope Lionel Messi is fully fit by then. He was rested for an hour here – the mere sight of him warming up seemed to inspire Barcelona’s second half revival.
Real Madrid were quicker to everything from the first kick. Vinicius led the charge and it was from his cross that Toni Kroos had Madrid’s first chance.
Malcom celebrates after drawing Barcelona level in first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final at the Nou Camp on Wednesday
Malcom was mobbed by his team-mates after what had been nearly an hour of frustration in front of the Barcelona supporters
Malcom sprinted away after equalising for Barcelona before jumping and punching the air in front of a packed home end
On six minutes Vinicius again crossed this time deeper to Benzema who got the better of Jordi Alba keeping the ball in play and screwing it back for Luca Vazquez who raced in ahead of Clement Lenglet to turn the ball past Marc Andre ter Stegen for 1-0.
Solari’s decision to leave Gareth Bale on the bench had been justified with Vinicius, Benzema and Lucas Vazquez linking for the goal. Every time Vinicius got the ball there was a hushed anxiety in the Camp Nou. His debut was driving Nelson Semedo to distraction.
Serigio Ramos was booked for non-existent foul on Malcom as the surprise inclusion in Barcelona’s staring line-up began to see more and more of the ball down the left flank policed inadequately by the hapless Marcelo.
Madrid might have made it 2-0 but when Vinicius won ball and raced clear he ignored Benzema to his right and Kroos to his left and failed to finish.
It did not deter him. His next raid down the left saw him release Benzema who pulled the ball back Kroos whose shot was saved.
When Barcelona finally got Jordi Alba racing down the left Lucas Vazquez tracked him all the way. With no joy down Alba’s wing it was left to Maclom on the right to try to get Barcelona back into the game.
Pique headed a Malcom corner wide and then Lenglet headed a Malcom free-kick on to the bar.
Suarez then had a shot saved by Keylor Navas from Malcom’s cross. Malcom was being given plenty of room by Marcelo but no making the most of it yet.
Vinicius ended the half being flattened by Nelson Semedo who was booked. The Real Madrid winger turned to furious Barcelona supporters and smiled. He had them and Semedo where he wanted them.
It was more of the same in the second period and it took Messi warming-up on the touchline to change the game. He appeared to have given the order to his manager when one of Ernesto Valverde’s assistants approached him in the technical area and whispered in his ear. Valverde turned and nodded in agreement that Messi – to huge applause – could now get to his feet to warm up.
Lucas Vasquez celebrates after putting Real Madrid into the lead after six minutes when he was played in by Karim Benzema
Vasquez was joined by Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, who continued the celebrations following the early strike
Ramos ran back to the Real Madrid half after celebrating Real Madrid’s opener, gesturing to his team-mates to catch up
Barcelona forward Luis Suarez shows his frustration after he watched his team-mates be cut open by Real Madrid’s attack
Messi does his best to cheer on his Barcelona team-mates despite being put behind by Vasquez’s early strike for Real
Suarez runs past right back Dani Carvajal (right) as the Barcelona forward makes his way towards the visitors’ penalty area
Vasquez applies a finish from close range with Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen unable to make a save
He was still warming up when the suddenly noisy Camp Nou had a goal to celebrate. Suarez shot from the left and when the ball came back off the post it ran to Malcom who fired it into an empty net. Navas was still scrambling back having charged out to close down Alba before Suarez’ shot.
The Camp Nou now believed and Messi came on to replace the underwhelming Philippe Coutinho. Suddenly it was a different game with Madrid taking three steps back because of Messi.
He still robbed Casemiro and when he honed in on goal Lucas Vazque brought him down but the free-kick was charged down. Bale was not having the same effect and when Benzema broke with ten minutes left and played him in Bale he took one touch to try to take the ball around Nelson Semedo but then fell as his shot right-footed wide. Benzema held his head in his hands.
That was the chance and Messi almost squeezed the second in for Barcelona with their next attack. As it was the game was left hanging in the balance – it’s in Madrid’s favor that the second leg is at home but it will favor Barcelona that they have Ousmane Dembele and Messi both back fit.
Barcelona forward Malcolm misses a chance to score as Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas gets down well to make a save
Malcom goes down under the challenge of central defender Ramos, who stops the forward advancing any further
Referee Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz speaks with Ramos after his foul which brought down Barcelona’s Malcom
Lionel Messi watched on from the substitutes’ bench after not being deemed fully fit to start in the first leg of the semi-final
Real Madrid left back makes it across to make a challenge and win the ball from Malcom as he tried to surge forward
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique tries to get his right foot over the ball as the hosts attempt to trouble the Real Madrid goal
Real Madrid manager Santiago Solari affords himself a smile during the first half of the first leg on Wednesday evening
Pique flies across the ground to try and win the ball from Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior who jumps up to avoid the tackle
Marcelo brings the ball out of defence as he tries to find a way of getting Real Madrid back on the attack against Barcelona
Benzema is blocked by Clement Lenglet (left) and Nelson Semedo as he attempts to find a route to the Barcelona goal
Suarez tries a left-footed curling effort but can’t find a way past Navas, who finished the first half without being beaten
Navas does excellently to make it to the ball and get a vital touch to send it safety as Barcelona pressed for an equaliser
Barcelona central defender Pique puts his hands to his head during a frustrating first half at the Nou Camp on Wednesday
Messi warms up at the start of the second half as the Argentine prepares to come on in the Copa del Rey semi-final
Malcom controlled the ball inside the box and managed to find the back of the net with Navas out of position in his area
Malcolm punches the air after finally finding a way through after Real Madrid had held out for nearly an hour
[ad_2]
Source link