Barcelona inches closer to La Liga title with thrilling win over Real

BARCELONA: La Liga table-topper Barcelona inched closer to its 27th Spanish top-division title after substitute Franck Kessie scored a stunning goal in second-half stoppage time to secure a 2-1 comeback win over Real Madrid on Sunday.

In the ‘El Clasico’ at the sold-out Camp Nou, Barcelona took a huge step towards winning its first league crown in four years by beating the defending champion for a third successive time. The result left the second-placed Real 12 points adrift of the leader.

It was an electrifying match from the start with Barcelona pressing high. The home team almost scored in the sixth minute through Raphinha’s point-blank header, which Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois brilliantly stopped with a reflex save using his right fist. From the rebound, Sergi Roberto fired a fierce shot that went inches over the bar.

Three minutes later, Real took an early lead after a Vinicius Jr. cross deflected off defender Ronald Araujo and went inside his own goal. But, Barcelona was quick to regroup and took control of the all-important match.

Andreas Christiansen could have scored twice from two different corners and Raphinha, who was arguably Barcelona’s most dangerous player, attempted an angled shot from the edge of the area, an effort that Courtois denied with another great save.

Real seemed content to sit on its lead, but the strategy backfired. At the stroke of half-time, its defence failed to clear the ball from the box and Roberto quickly pounced to fire an unstoppable strike to the left of the goalkeeper.

Barcelona did not take the foot off the gas after the half-time break and created several opportunities, but it was Real substitute Marco Asensio who found the back of the net in the 81st minute. However, his close-range effort was ruled out by the VAR after replays showed that he was fractionally offside.

Barcelona kept pushing for the winner and finally got it in added time when Alejandro Balde raced down the left channel and crossed the ball to Kessie, who was left unmarked at the far post. In the second minute of stoppage time, Kessie unleashed an unstoppable first-time strike to hand Barcelona a thrilling and crucial victory.

RESULT: Barcelona 2 (S Roberto 45, F Kessie 90) bt Real Madrid 1 (R Araujo 9(OG))