VITORIA, Spain: Barcelona earned a 3-1 win at Alaves in La Liga on Saturday with Brazilian teenager Vitor Roque scoring and then sent off in a lively appearance off the bench.
The champions, third, took the lead through Robert Lewandowski in the first half and doubled their advantage when Ilkay Gundogan volleyed home soon after the break.
Samu Omorodion pulled a goal back for the hosts before 18-year-old striker Roque pounced and a few minutes later was harshly dismissed.
Barcelona’s victory helps them cut the gap on league leaders Real Madrid to seven points before Los Blancos face Atletico Madrid in a derby clash Sunday.
They have won both of their matches since Xavi announced last weekend he would leave the club at the end of the season.
Xavi selected Andreas Christensen in defensive midfield for the first time in his Barcelona career, with the Catalans still unable to find a reliable replacement for Sergio Busquets.
The Danish defender was solid and showed Xavi he is an option for the future in the role, ahead of the out-of-favor Oriol Romeu.
Alaves, 12th, started quickly and put the visitors on the back foot in the early stages, but could not capitalize on their pressure.
Barcelona took the lead when Lewandowski delightfully dinked home after a good team move, with Gundogan threading a pass through to him.
It was the veteran forward’s first goal in La Liga since October, when he netted in a 4-2 defeat by surprise title challengers Girona.
The Catalans struck again after the break when Pedri scooped a fine ball to the back post for Gundogan, who did well to keep a controlled volley under the crossbar.
Alaves instantly hit back with Omorodion heading home Alex Sola’s cross after escaping the attentions of Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.
Xavi’s side kept their heads up and grabbed the third through substitute Roque, who arrived in the January transfer window from Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense.
Electric 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal turned brilliantly to start an attack which culminated when Roque finished coolly from Hector Fort’s pass.
Roque’s cameo from the bench lasted less than 15 minutes, after he was shown two yellow cards.
The second was for a supposed foul on Rafa Marin which appeared an innocuous challenge, but there was no video review as VAR cannot ask officials to check second yellow card incidents.
Later Saturday Girona, second, can overtake Madrid provisionally if they beat Real Sociedad at home.
Barca ease past Alaves despite Roque red
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Barca ease past Alaves despite Roque red
- The champions, third, took the lead through Robert Lewandowski in the first half
- Barcelona’s victory helps them cut the gap on league leaders Real Madrid to seven points
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
