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Barça Atlètic 5–3 ID Ibiza: Rollercoaster ride into play-off final!

Balearic Islanders take two-goal lead, but the reserves hit back with goals from Marc Guiu, Pau Víctor and Unai Hernández (3)

Barça Atlètic are through to the promotion play-off final after coming out tops in the most dramatic of games against ID Ibiza. They went into the game leading 2-1 from the first leg, but all that good work was undone in a first half that saw Escassi net twice to give the islanders a 2-0 lead.

But an extraordinary goal-storm, including a hat-trick for Unai Hernández, saw the blaugrana eventually blitz their way into the decisive match, where they will be up against either Cordoba or Ponferradina.

Early setback

Barça had done all the shooting without success before Escassi struck with his own side's very first attempt on goal. That levelled the tie at 2-2 on aggregate, and worse was to come minutes before the break when the same man converted from a set piece. Despite having a one-goal lead going into this game, the Catalans were now playing catch-up. Had everything turned horribly wrong?

Back in business

But the despair soon went away when the home side nicked one back in the second minute of first half injury time. Unai Hernández crossed, Marc Guiu converted and the teams were back level on aggregate with the whole second half left to play.

And straight from the restart, Pau Víctor capped a lovely team move by firing home Barça's second of the night.

Unai hat-trick

Barça were on a roll, and the player rolling the most was Unai Hernández. Sensationally, he would score three goals in just over four minutes. Bang, bang, bang... And the home fans could worry no more. The win was as good as secured.

Credit has to go to Ibiza, who pulled one goal back fairly quickly and never stopped believing that some kind of miracle was possible. But Barça Atlètic held their ground solidly, and can now make plans for the final challenge that stands between therm and a place in the second division next season.


MATCH STATS

BARÇA, 5
IBIZA, 3

Barça: Marc Vidal; Héctor Fort, Pelayo, Sergi Domínguez, Gerard Martín; Marc Casadó, Marc Bernal, Moha (Alarcón, min.64, Pocho Román, min. 80); Pau Víctor, Marc Guiu (Aleix Garrido, min. 70), Unai Hernández (Dani Rodriguez, min. 70).

Ibiza: Reynet; Unai Medina, Escassi, Pepe (Monjonell, min. 65),  Javi Jiménez; Soko (Eugeni, min. 64), Jesús Álvarez (Tienza, min. 46), Gallar (Rubén, min. 65), Arturo (Suleiman, min. 64); Cedric, Obolskii

Goals: 0-1, Escassi (min. 19); 0-2, Escassi (min. 44); 1-2, Marc Guiu (min. 47); 2-2, Pau Víctor (min. 52); 3-2, Unai Hernández (min. 57); 5-2, Unai Hernández (min. 60); 5-2 Unai Hernández (min. 62); 5-3, Rubén (min. 66).

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