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BARCELONA 2-0 REAL SOCIEDAD – LAMINE YAMAL AND RAPHINHA GOALS LIFT BARCA INTO SECOND IN LA LIGA TABLE
The league title may have gone to their bitter rivals Real Madrid, but Barcelona are in a fight to be best of the rest in La Liga. Xavi Hernandez’s side boosted their hopes of securing second place with a battling victory over Real Sociedad at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Monday evening. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha grabbed the goals for Barcelona.
Lamine Yamal and a late Raphinha penalty secured victory for Barcelona over Real Sociedad which moves them back up to second in la Liga.
Barcelona were value for victory with Sociedad stopper Alex Remiro called upon to make a number of saves in the second half.
The opener came five minutes before the break, just after Raphinha had been denied by the post, when Ilkay Gundogan slipped a square ball to Yamal and he calmly struck home first time.
Raphinha looked a perennial threat and was denied by Remiro before getting the chance to score after the referee ruled for a penalty kick when his free kick struck Alvaro Odriozola’s arm and, with regular taker Robert Lewandowski off the field, he made no mistake from 12 yards out.
The win lifts Barcelona a point clear of Girona with three games remaining, Sociedad remain in seventh.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – LAMINE YAMAL (BARCELONA)
He still makes mistakes which remind you he is just 17, with a couple of occasions when dwelling on the ball on the edge of the area denying Barcelona chances. That said, he is already one of the most exciting players in the world. As always he had the most successful dribbles on the pitch and he almost scored a very Lionel Messi-like goal beating a couple of players and then playing a one-two with Ilkay Gundogan) with only a desperate challenge from Jon Pacheco denying him. The calm way he struck home the opener should give him confidence he can dramatically increase his tally of five league goals in the coming seasons.
PLAYER RATINGS
Barcelona: Ter Stegen 6; Kounde 6, Inigo Martinez 6, Cubarsi 6, Cancelo 6; Gundogan 7, Christensen 6, Pedri 6; Lamine Yamal 8, Lewandowski 7, Raphinha 7.
Subs: Sergi Roberto 6, Fermin 7, Ferran Torres 7, Romeu.
Real Sociedad: Remiro 7; Traore 6, Aritz 6, Le Normand 7, Pacheco 6; Aramburu 6, Turrientes 6, Mikel Merino 6; Oyarzabal 6, Brais Mendez 6; Becker 6.
Subs: Tiernay 6, Take 7, Barrenetxea 6, Zakharyan 6, Odriozola 6.
