Barcelona emerge victorious in 5-goal thriller against Rayo Vallecano
Luis Suárez netted the winner in the 90th minute for Barcelona
Barcelona were expected to sail through against Rayo Vallecano after registering a 5-1 victory over European champions Real Madrid in the last La Liga match-up. But that was not the case as the side required a last-minute winner to bag all three points.
Barça took the lead in the 11th minute, as Jordi Alba went on a scorching run down the left flank before passing it to Luis Suárez, who tapped it in to score the opener. José Ángel Pozo came very close to finding the equaliser for Rayo Vallecano in the 31st minute, but it went just wide.
But the team couldn’t hold on for much longer, as Pozo found space on the edge of the box and placed it into the bottom right corner past Marc-André ter Stegen at full stretch. There was another display of Suárez’s genius in the 41st minute.
The Uruguayan centre-forward did a one-two with Rafinha before hitting the post with a curling effort on a first-time shot. Rafinha had a golden opportunity to score in the 51st minute, after being played through by Sergi Roberto. But he put it wide.
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And just after the Brazil international failed to give Barça the lead, Ter Stegen was called into action to maintain the scoreline. But in the 56th minute, Rayo did take the lead. An accurate cross was headed onto the near post and it fell to Álvaro García Rivera, who put it into an empty net.
Barcelona had to depend upon substitute Ousmane Dembélé to equalise, as the young Frenchman came off the bench to score a beautiful half-volley in the 87th minute. Gerard Piqué headed it down for Dembélé, who smashed it past Alberto García into the bottom left corner.
But in the end, it was ‘El Pistolero’ who completed his brace to win all three points for the side in the 90th minute. His run was spotted by Sergio Busquets, who lofted the ball into his path, for the veteran forward to finish at the near post.
Barça need to show more defensive solidarity against these lesser sides, but the attack is continuing its brilliant form. Both Ousmane Dembélé and Luis Suárez silenced their critics at the Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas, with Suárez showing that he can be consistent.
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Dembélé also made a case for himself against Rayo, especially with Rafinha missing a chance. Against Inter, the France international could return to the first-team.