Oviedo (Spain), Sep 26 (IANS) FC Barcelona came from behind to win 3-1 away to Oviedo and stay two points behind Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
Eric Garcia started the fightback, substitute Robert Lewandowski headed in the second, and the game-clinching third also came from a header, courtesy of Ronald Araujo in the dying minutes when the result was still very much in the air.
Newly promoted Oviedo took a surprise lead in the 33rd minute when Alberto Reina scored from 45 meters after Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia gifted him the ball while stranded far outside his penalty area.
Barca equalised 10 minutes into the second half when Ferran Torres’ shot was deflected into the path of Eric Garcia, who finished from close range. Robert Lewandowski then made it 2-1 five minutes after coming on as a substitute, heading in Frenkie de Jong’s cross in the 70th minute. Ronald Araujo sealed the win two minutes from time from Marcus Rashford’s pass.
The win ensures that Barca remain unbeaten and second in the table, two points adrift of leaders Real Madrid, and with another quick turnaround ahead of them, with a home fixture against Real Sociedad on Sunday to prepare for.
The win at Oviedo sees Flick complete a half century of victories in just 67 games, making him the third-fastest to do so in Club history.
Barca claimed their sixth win in seven games this season at the Carlos Tartiere stadium, and there were the 44 wins from the 60 games played last season.
Superb stats for coach who has settled in tremendously well. Only Luis Enrique, who won 50 games of the first 60, and Helenio Herrera, who did it in 63, achieved the feat faster.
In Thursday’s earlier game, Victor Munoz gave Osasuna a 10th-minute lead at home to Elche with a spectacular strike. Osasuna dominated the first half, but Elche leveled after the break when Adria Pedroza took advantage of a defensive error to score into an empty net, keeping the visitors unbeaten after six games.
–IANS
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