UEFA Champions League
Messi Brilliance Puts Barcelona Through To Round Of 16
Lionel Messi scored one and assisted another against a lackluster PSV Eindhoven side to ensure Barcelona qualify for the round of 16 as group winners.
The story was not quite like the reverse fixture, where Barcelona ran out 4-0 winners. They did not enjoy such freedom and dominance in Eindhoven. Barca was under pressure for long periods of the game.
The visitors had the woodwork to thank for denying PSV a lead on three occasions before captain Lionel Messi took charge in the second half.
PSV’s bright start could well have come through Gaston Pereiro. The winger forced Andre Ter Stegan into a brilliant save from a free kick.
Two goal-line clearances denied Arturo Vidal before Barca had another scare. Denzel Dumfries hitting the upright following Frenkie De Jong’s header against the crossbar.
Ter Stegan remained under pressure after the first half, and yet in the 61st minute, Barcelona went ahead.
Under-fire Ousmane Dembele slid a pass to Messi, and the rest was left to the maestro. Messi weaved around multiple markers before shooting past Jeroen Zoet.
It was the captain who created the winner in the 70th minute. He curled a free-kick into Gerard Pique’s boot for an instinctive first-time finish.
There was time left for Netherlands striker De Jong to nod home Angelino’s cross in the 82nd minute, but Barca held on to three points despite squandering a clean sheet.
The La Liga champions host Villarreal on Sunday as PSV visit Feyenoord.
Photo credit to Dickson Dagogo via Flickr
