86' Suarez scampers down the right flank, before checking into the penalty area and onto his left foot. The Uruguayan forward has two players present at the back post, but inside slides a low pass to nobody in yellow! Yet another wasted final ball from the visitors.
84' Milunovic is the next man to get a caution, after hauling down Busquets on the left-hand side. Barca have the chance to whip a free-kick delivery into a congested penalty area, but Chernik does well to punch Neymar's attempted ball clear!
83' Yellow Card Nemanja Milunović
82' Yellow Card Aleksandr Karnitskiy
82' Less than 10 minutes remain in Belarus, with Barca looking more than capable of closing out a solid away performance in the Champions League. Karnitskiy gets in behind Alba and tries to cut a cross in from the right, but Alves stoops low to head away the challenging delivery!
80' Substitution Nikolay Shinkevich(out) Dmitri Mozolevski(in)
80' Signevich now shoots from around 25 yards out, but the BATE striker slams a finish into a ruck of bodies! Moments later, a long-range effort looks to catch Ter Stegen off his line, but the ball bounces harmlessly wide of the target. Suarez and Neymar try to combine up the other end, but Polyakov makes a much-needed intervention.
78' Easy save for Ter Stegen! Signevich tries his luck on the turn from just inside the penalty area, but places his attempted finish far too close to the ex-Gladbach goalkeeper! The Barca shot-stopper is no longer a complete spectator in this second half.
76' Sandro works his way down the right flank, before looking for Neymar with a neat pass inside, but the latter sees an attempted shot deflected behind for a corner. The Brazilian looks for Suarez with his delivery, but BATE clear their lines easily. Barca continue to keep hold of the ball and keep the home side subdued.
66' SubstitutionNemanja Nikolić(out) Evgeni Yablonski(in)
66' Jablonski is now brought into the game, as BATE look to freshen things up and turn things around in front of their own fans. The hosts have around 25 minutes to net a minimum of two goals, if they are to leave the Borisov Arena tonight with a share of the spoils. Given that Ter Stegen is yet to be tested, it isn't looking likely at all.
64' Assist Neymar
64' Goal Ivan Rakitic
GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! RAKITIC MAKES IT TWO! The Croatian is picked out in acres of space at the back post, before holding his nerve to lift a clipped finish over Chernik and into the back of the net! Neymar was the architect once again, with the substitute applying a wonderful lethal touch.
63' Stasevich looks to be blocked off by Bartra, but the referee opts to let play continue. Barca make their way up the other end, but a pass slid through by Alba for Neymar heads straight behind for a goal kick. The final ball from the visitors has been terribly inconsistent this evening.
62' Substitution Maksim Volodko(out) Aleksandr Karnitskiy(in)
62' Busquets is brought down in rash fashion by Gayduchik, with the central defender picking up a booking for his trouble. The cautioned M. Volodko heads off for the hosts, meanwhile, with Karnitskiy coming into the fray. First change for Yermakovich, with the newly introduced winger needing to make an impact.
61' Yellow Card Vitaly Gayduchik
60' Half an hour is left on the clock in Minsk, with the Blaugrana sitting in a rather precarious position on their European travels. Substitutes from both clubs are warming up on the touchline, as we enter into a possible period of change from both coaches. Neymar picks out Rakitic on the edge of the penalty area once again, but Chernik claims a looping effort from Munir.
58' Chernik is quick off his line to claim a cross from the right-hand side! Alves did well to overlap and deliver a ball in, but Suarez couldn't get there first! BATE are leaving more space in behind their back four at the moment, as the hosts edge forward looking for an unlikely equaliser.
56' Signevich is caught offside on a rare gallivant forward for BATE, with Ter Stegen happy to take the free kick short. Alba is found making tracks down the left flank, but the ex-Valencia defender can only dribble a terrible right-footed effort behind for a corner with the aid of a deflection - with the resulting set piece coming to nothing.
Alba is found making tracks down the left flank, but the ex-Valencia defender can only dribble a terrible right-footed effort behind for a corner with the aid of a deflection - with the resulting set piece coming to nothing.
54' Barca are happy to slow things down a little, with their possession zipping about at a less intense tempo. Munir tries his luck with a slightly tame effort from 25 yards out, but sends a looping shot well wide of the left-hand post! Enrique still doesn't look to be a picture of confidence on the visiting bench.
52' A long through ball bobbles through to Ter Stegen, with BATE yet to muster up a dangerous attack this evening. Neymar has managed to inspire Barca to an opening goal, but the scoreline needs widening if the visitors are to have any confidence in their lead. The Brazilian lashes a warning strike just beyond the far upright from the edge of the box.
50' Bartra does well to track back and make a recovering tackle on Stasevich, with Barca now having something to defend. Enrique's men have their noses in front, with the hosts now needing to edge out of their comfort zone and onto the offensive. Some changes may need to be in the offing for Yermakovich!
48' Assist Neymar
48' Goal Ivan Rakitic
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! RAKITIC MAKES IT 1-0! Neymar manages to win the away side an early corner, but Pique can only manage to turn the delivery onto the roof of the net with the aid of a deflection. Moments later, the Brazilian finds his Croatian teammate on the edge of the box. The ex-Sevilla midfielder blasts a finish into the top-left corner!
46' We are back underway in the second half at the Borisov Arena! As it stands, the hosts are in good shape to nick another group stage point, with Barcelona labouring their way towards a hard-fought result on foreign soil.
HALF TIME! The two teams go into the break goalless, with BATE still clinging onto an unbeaten record in this season's edition of the Champions League. Neymar has gone closest to breaking the deadlock, but the hosts have managed to weather a Catalan storm during the first half in Minsk.
41'Alves is warned by the referee, with the Brazil international diving into a poor challenge on Mladenovic! His studs were raised, but the Brazil international gets away with just a booking from the match official. BATE have the chance to whip a delivery into a well-populated penalty area, but Ter Stegen merely claims the ball.
39'Rakitic tries his luck from just inside the penalty area, after being picked out by a neat cross from Alves! The former Sevilla midfielder guides a header over the crossbar, with Chernik at his mercy! Everything just seemed to open up for Barca there!
37'Less than 10 minutes of the first period remain in Minsk, with Barca continuing to try and force BATE's hand. Alba is a constant presence on the left flank, but the left-back has thus far been unable to whip in a telling cross. Neymar cuts in from out wide and tries to shoot, but the Brazil international sees his effort blocked!
35'Play is worked out to the left-hand side, with Neymar and Suarez combining. Alba is then released on the overlap, but a cut back from the Spain international is cleared to safety. Plenty of possession in the right areas for Barca, but they're yet to find the final ball required. Bartra shoots from 30 yards, but drags a terrible attempt well wide.
33'Rakitic is fed into the penalty area by a dangerous pass, but Mladenovic covers across well to deny the Croatian substitute. The resulting corner is lashed away at the near post, with the home outfit continuing to hang in there. Enrique's yellow-clad charges are still seeing more of the ball, but hopeful diagonal balls looking for Munir aren't bearing much fruit.
31'Less than a quarter of an hour remains for the visitors to make their first-half pressure count, with BATE happy to have weathered an early storm. Signevich remains isolated, but the hosts are no longer camped 20 yards out from their own goal.
29'Yellow Card Denis Polyakov
29'M. Volodko tracks back well to deny Alves, with BATE's wide men struggling to have any kind of impact on the game in advanced areas. Barca win themselves a free kick in a dangerous area, but a looping cross can only find its way to Busquets at the back post! The midfielder throws a foot at the ball, but can only guide it agonisingly wide of the far upright!
27'Neymar and Suarez attempt to combine on the periphery of the area yet again, but their one-two doesn't come off. Moments later, Neymar sprints down the left flank, but a cut back from the ex-Santos winger is smothered easily by Chernik. Clear-cut chances have been elusive thus far in Minsk.
25'BATE are still sitting very deep, with Signevich not seeing much service at all. The hosts keep trying to work the ball from side to side, in order to work an overload, but Alba and Alves haven't struggled to match up against their respective opponent.
23'Yellow Card Busquets
23'Alba lays a pass into Suarez, but the ex-Liverpool forward's first touch lets him down badly. Moments later, Busquets picks up the first booking of the contest, after accidentally handling the ball. The Spain international argues his case, but the referee isn't interested at all.
21'Yermakovich is looking on with a rather concerned expression, as Barca continue to call the shots. Even without Iniesta and Messi, the current Champions League holders have started this fixture with confidence and swagger. Neymar remains the Blaugrana's main threat, but the Brazilian hasn't been afforded any one-on-one situations against Polyakov yet.
19'A diagonal ball is swung into the BATE penalty area, in search of Munir, but Chernik is quick off his line to deny the Spaniard. Moments later, the same ball comes off, with Alves able to force a near-post save out of the hosts' goalkeeper! Corners galore for Barca in the opening 20 minutes.
18'SubstitutionSergi Roberto(in) Ivan Rakitic(out)
17'Neymar combines well with Alba down the left, but a cross from the diminutive full-back is intercepted. The Brazil international is causing all of the early issues. (GOAL)
No comments:
Post a Comment