Unionistas de Salamanca 1-3 FC Barcelona: One step closer

Barça are headed for the Copa del Rey quarter finals! But as in the previous round against Barbastro, they by no means had everything their own way against lower league opposition on Thursday evening.

Third-tier Unionistas de Salamanca, who had already dumped out Villarreal in the round of 32, actually took the lead in a very tight first half.

But despite the early shock and a difficult struggle, logic eventually prevailed and goals from Ferran Torres, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde ensured that Barça will be one of the eight teams that go into Friday’s draw.

And it was a particularly special night for Spanish U17 international centre back Pau Cubarsi. With injuries and suspensions having decimated the Barça defence, the youngster got to make his senior debut, playing the whole of the second half.

Early setback

It might have been a comfortable enough win in the end, but the alarm bells were ringing just past the half hour when Unionistas took the lead.
Although the home side had come very close to scoring in the very first minute, Barça had been looking solid enough to that point. But we again had the problem of domination in midfield but not enough creation of real danger in the final third.

And Barça paid the price, because when Salamanca had a chance of their own, they took it. And they took it with an absolute stunner.
Álvaro Gómez raced in to meet what looked to be an over-hit cross, yet his first-time volley made such perfect contact that Iñaki Peña had no time to react as the ball rocketed past him.

Ferran leveller

Barça finally got the first goal of their own thanks to Unionistas getting rather too excited about a corner and leaving the whole of their own half of the pitch undefended.

That’s never a good idea against a team like Barça. Joao Felix’s pass left Ferran Torres with all the space he needed and more as he charged in on the Salamanca goal. His perfectly placed finish meant the sides would be going for the break back on level terms.

Two and three

Nothing much was happening for either team in a scrappy second half until the 69th minute when Jules Kounde, hovering on the edge of the area looking for options, decided to have a pop… And what a pop it turned out to be!

The ball curled majestically inside the post and Barça were ahead for the first time in the match.

Barça finally started to click. And Alejandro Balde most certainly clicked.

The full back powered his way through the Salamanca defence, and finished his dazzling solo run by slamming the ball into the roof of the net. Another brilliant goal and having escaped a tense situation, the Catalans now had a two-goal cushion to defend.

Salamanca never let their heads drop, and brought some tremendous saves out of Iñaki Peña as they searched for a way back into the game.
But by this stage, the game never really looked like it was going any way other than the Barça way. A serious performance. A workmanlike performance.

And Barça are one step closer to a place in the grand final in Seville. Who’s next? We’ll find out tomorrow at 1pm CET!