VIGO, Spain: Robert Lewandowski’s brace snatched champions Barcelona a 2-1 win over lowly Celta Vigo to leave them third in La Liga, trailing leaders Real Madrid by seven points.
Xavi Hernandez’s side needed a stoppage-time penalty converted by Lewandowski at the second attempt to find a way past a Celta Vigo side battling relegation, down in 17th place.
Lewandowski slammed the visitors ahead at Balaidos before half-time but Iago Aspas levelled for Rafa Benitez’s Celta early in the second half.
Barcelona tamely struggled to find a way through before being gifted a late spot-kick for a clumsy foul on Lamine Yamal, which Lewandowski dispatched for his 12th goal of the season.
The Catalans are unbeaten in four matches since Xavi said he would depart at the end of the season and face Napoli on Wednesday in the Champions League last 16, with Europe the club’s last realistic chance of silverware this season.
Xavi handed Brazilian forward Vitor Roque his first start for the club on the left of the attack, alongside Lewandowski and 16-year-old sensation Yamal.
The latter was Barcelona’s brightest player once again, with the Catalans dependent on his skill and speed on the right flank to create danger.
Despite controlling the first half Barcelona failed to threaten much beyond a Yamal shot which Vicente Guaita did well to tip away.
At the other end Ronald Araujo sprinted back well to stop Jorgen Strand Larsen running through on goal.
Barca broke the deadlock in the 45th minute when Yamal fed Lewandowski, who lashed home superbly from just inside the area.
The lead did not last long, with Aspas pouncing two minutes into the second half to level.
A slick move from Celta was finished by the veteran forward after former Barcelona defender Oscar Mingueza backheeled the ball into his path.
Aspas’s strike bounced in off Jules Kounde, with the deflection taking the ball over the outstretched arm of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Guaita got his fingertips to a swirling Raphinha free-kick as Barcelona hunted for the winner without success, until Yamal won a penalty in stoppage time.
Celta’s Fran Beltran accidentally kicked the winger when trying to clear the ball and Lewandowski converted from the spot to steal Barcelona three points.
Guaita saved Lewandowski’s first attempt but was off his line and the veteran Polish striker stroked home clinically after being given a reprieve.
Celta sit three points above the relegation zone after Cadiz, 18th, lost at Osasuna earlier on.
On Sunday league leaders Real Madrid can stretch their advantage when they visit Rayo Vallecano, currently five points clear of second-place Girona, who lead Barca by two.
Lewandowski double snatches tame Barca win at Celta
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Lewandowski double snatches tame Barca win at Celta
- Lewandowski slammed the visitors ahead at Balaidos before half-time
- Barcelona tamely struggled to find a way through before being gifted a late spot-kick for a clumsy foul on Lamine Yamal
Marmoush, Salah strike as Egypt edge out holders Ivory Coast in quarter-final
- Egypt wasted little time in taking the lead as Marmoush scored in the fourth minute
- That set up a siege of the Egyptian goal in the final 15 minutes but they held out to advance
AGADIR, Morocco: Omar Marmoush netted the opener and Mohamed Salah scored the decisive goal as Egypt ended Ivory Coast’s reign with a narrow 3-2 triumph in Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.
Center back Rami Rabia was the other scorer for the Egyptians, who had little possession at the Grande Stade Agadir but took their chances with clinical precision and held on grimly to book a semifinal meeting with Senegal on Wednesday.
An own goal from Ahmed Fatouh and a late effort by Guela Doue proved insufficient for the Ivory Coast, winners of the tournament on home soil two years ago but now deposed as African champions.
Egypt, who have won a record seven Cup of Nations titles, wasted little time in taking the lead as Marmoush scored in the fourth minute after Hamdi Fathy pinched the ball from Franck Kessie in the midfield, allowing Emam Ashour to thread a pinpoint ball to the sprinting Marmoush. He still needed to shrug off the attentions of defender Odilon Kossounou before slotting home.
But it quickly became clear the Ivorians were going to dominate possession, showing much more physical strength on the ball but without setting up clear chances.
Egypt went 2-0 up in the 32nd minute when Rabia rose above the defenders to head his side further ahead from a corner.
The Ivory Coast, who had 70 percent of possession in the first half, reduced the deficit eight minutes later when teenager Yann Diomande’s freekick near the corner took a slight brush off Kossounou’s head and ricocheted off the knee of full back Fatouh and into the net.
SALAH FINISHED OFF CLEVER MOVE
The Ivorians had come from 2-0 down to beat Gabon 3-2 earlier in the tournament but hopes of turning the scoreline around soon after the re-start were stymied by a simply created, but superbly finished, goal for Salah seven minutes after the break.
Rabia was well inside his own half when he chipped the ball over the top of the Ivorian defensive line, allowing Ashour to run onto it and hit an accurate pass with the outside of his right boot into the path of Salah to score.
An Ivorian comeback was still on when Doue touched home at the end of a goalmouth scramble in the 73rd minute.
That set up a siege of the Egyptian goal in the final 15 minutes but they held out to advance.
Earlier on Saturday, Nigeria overpowered Algeria 2-0 in Marrakech and will take on hosts Morocco in the other semifinal.
