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14/01/2007 0.23
Primera Liga Report: Espanyol Humble Barcelona
FC Barcelona were stunned as they were beaten convincingly 3-1 in the city derby against RCD Espanyol. The result puts Barca's quest to return to the top of the table on hold.
Frank Rijkaard's side went into the game as clear favourites, but they were made to look second best against a home team that looked to be fired up for the game and were comfortably contained.
The game was always tight in midfield and that left Barça unable to play their quick, passing game and that cost them in the end.
Goals from Luis García, Raúl Tamudo and Rufete gave Espanyol victory as they came up against an uncharacteristically leaky Blaugrana rearguard that left huge gaps at the back, especially during the second half.
In the opening minutes there was a warning as Iván De la Peña carved open the Barcelona defence with an exquisite pass that left Rufete with a free shot which Víctor Valdés turned round the post.
Just before Ronaldinho had had the visitors' first chance of the evening as he sent a long-range free-kick goalward and watched as it hammered back off the crossbar and away.
The opening goal arrived in the 31st minute and it came as Espanyol stretched the Barça back four with Tamudo taking on, and beating, Puyol down the left. Tamudo's low cross found Luis García stepping in front of Edmílson, and Garcia steered the ball into the far corner of the net.
The scorer then saw a free-kick fly over, before Tamudo fired a low center straight at Valdés from close range.
In the closing minutes of the first period, Eidur Gudjohnsen had a header saved by Carlos Kameni's legs and Ronaldinho warmed the keeper's gloves with a set piece from distance.
Rijkaard attempted to shake his side into life at the break and after two spurned opportunities, substitute Javier Saviola showed the home team what they could be buying in the summer.
The diminutive Argentinean jogged along the edge of the area before rifling a drive past Kameni and into the top corner to draw Barça level on the hour mark.
Despite conceding, the hosts were not fazed and began to press forward once again and regained their advantage within five minutes as Sergio Sánchez's cross from the left found Tamudo alone in the middle to head home.
A rare show of real emotion from Rijkaard summed up his feelings of frustration as he banged his hand against the side of the dugout and smashed the glass.
Things were not about to improve for the Dutchman, as his team pushed forward in search of at least a point and left huge spaces at the back.
Substitute Walter Pandiani was the first to exploit the holes as he ran clear before slamming a shot just wide of Valdés' post.
The Uruguayan then had an even better chance soon after as Rufete picked him out with a cross to the far post, but the former Depor striker's downward header bounced back up onto the underside of the bar.
Ronaldinho then went close in a rare show of his abilities at the other end as he flashed a curling shot wide of the far post after Rafa Márquez had headed off target moments earlier.
Espanyol closed strongly though as Luis García sent a fierce free kick straight at Valdés before Pandiani produced a fine tip away from the keeper with another firm header.
Any doubts about who would win the encounter were laid to rest in the 90th minute though, when Luis García broke down the left, and with two team-mates charging forward and only Edmílson back for Barça, he rolled the ball to the far post where Rufete arrived to poke home numb
Primera Liga Report: Espanyol Humble Barcelona
FC Barcelona were stunned as they were beaten convincingly 3-1 in the city derby against RCD Espanyol. The result puts Barca's quest to return to the top of the table on hold.
Frank Rijkaard's side went into the game as clear favourites, but they were made to look second best against a home team that looked to be fired up for the game and were comfortably contained.The game was always tight in midfield and that left Barça unable to play their quick, passing game and that cost them in the end.
Goals from Luis García, Raúl Tamudo and Rufete gave Espanyol victory as they came up against an uncharacteristically leaky Blaugrana rearguard that left huge gaps at the back, especially during the second half.
In the opening minutes there was a warning as Iván De la Peña carved open the Barcelona defence with an exquisite pass that left Rufete with a free shot which Víctor Valdés turned round the post.
Just before Ronaldinho had had the visitors' first chance of the evening as he sent a long-range free-kick goalward and watched as it hammered back off the crossbar and away.
The opening goal arrived in the 31st minute and it came as Espanyol stretched the Barça back four with Tamudo taking on, and beating, Puyol down the left. Tamudo's low cross found Luis García stepping in front of Edmílson, and Garcia steered the ball into the far corner of the net.
The scorer then saw a free-kick fly over, before Tamudo fired a low center straight at Valdés from close range.
In the closing minutes of the first period, Eidur Gudjohnsen had a header saved by Carlos Kameni's legs and Ronaldinho warmed the keeper's gloves with a set piece from distance.
Rijkaard attempted to shake his side into life at the break and after two spurned opportunities, substitute Javier Saviola showed the home team what they could be buying in the summer.
The diminutive Argentinean jogged along the edge of the area before rifling a drive past Kameni and into the top corner to draw Barça level on the hour mark.
Despite conceding, the hosts were not fazed and began to press forward once again and regained their advantage within five minutes as Sergio Sánchez's cross from the left found Tamudo alone in the middle to head home.
A rare show of real emotion from Rijkaard summed up his feelings of frustration as he banged his hand against the side of the dugout and smashed the glass.
Things were not about to improve for the Dutchman, as his team pushed forward in search of at least a point and left huge spaces at the back.
Substitute Walter Pandiani was the first to exploit the holes as he ran clear before slamming a shot just wide of Valdés' post.
The Uruguayan then had an even better chance soon after as Rufete picked him out with a cross to the far post, but the former Depor striker's downward header bounced back up onto the underside of the bar.
Ronaldinho then went close in a rare show of his abilities at the other end as he flashed a curling shot wide of the far post after Rafa Márquez had headed off target moments earlier.
Espanyol closed strongly though as Luis García sent a fierce free kick straight at Valdés before Pandiani produced a fine tip away from the keeper with another firm header.
Any doubts about who would win the encounter were laid to rest in the 90th minute though, when Luis García broke down the left, and with two team-mates charging forward and only Edmílson back for Barça, he rolled the ball to the far post where Rufete arrived to poke home numb
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