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Barcelona beats Atletico 6-1 in Spanish league (05.10.2008)
By PAUL LOGOTHETIS
Samuel Eto`o scored twice and Lionel Messi once to spearhead FC Barcelona`s 6-1 romp over Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league on Saturday.
Barcelona joined Valencia, which plays at Valladolid on Sunday, at 13 points to trail leader Villarreal by three points. Villarreal rallied for 2-1 victory over Real Betis earlier.
Rafael Marquez opened Barcelona`s perfect start with a fourth-minute header before Eto`o`s penalty and Messi`s audacious free kick made it 3-0 after nine minutes.
Eidur Gudjohnsen and Thierry Henry also contributed to the goal parade and Messi was unlucky not to add a highlight reel goal after Eto`o`s second. Maxi Rodriguez would curl in Atletico`s lone goal in the 14th.
Villarreal`srallied for 2-1 victory over Real Betis earlier thanks to second half goals from Gonzalo Rodriguez and Joseba Llorente.
Gonzalo headed Ariel Ibagaza`s free kick over outstretched goalkeeper Casto Espinosa in the 69th, and Llorente completed the comeback with a volley a minute later.
Betis looked set to repeat its 1-0 victory from last December _ the last time Villarreal lost at El Madrigal stadium _ with a controlling start punctuated by Damia Abella`s 20th-minute half-volley from close-range that gave the visitors the lead.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola and the 98,772 spectators at the Camp Nou stadium couldn`t have asked for a better start.
Mexico defender Marquez opened the floodgates by meeting Xavi Hernandez`s corner at the near post to head across goal past Gregory Coupet.
Tomas Ujfalusi tripped up Messi inside the area for the fifth-minute penalty which Eto`o scored into the left side of goal to catch Coupet going the wrong way. Barcelona hasn`t missed a spot kick in 19 months.
Messi confounded the visitor`s frustrating start by catching the entire Atletico side off-guard with a quick free kick that the Argentina international curled into the empty goal. Coupet didn`t budge as the ball bounced in at the far side of the net away from the French goalkeeper.
Atletico flirted with the possibility of a comeback thanks to Maxi`s long-range score, but the Argentina midfielder pulled up clutching his right thigh after shooting and would leave seven minutes later with a muscle injury.
Atletico`s defense let Eto`o slip between markers with plenty of clear space and Messi picked out the Cameroon striker whose quick cut back around Ujfalusi allowed him space to beat Coupet with a low shot.
Andres Iniesta used a slick move to get away from Ujfalusi in the 28th and the
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Spain midfielder`s shot bounced off the post to land at Gudjohnsen for the easy fifth.
Iniesta was denied by the far post three minutes later despite beating Coupet with a hard shot and Messi grounded the rebound back toward goal, but Eto`o couldn`t handle the hard ball with the Atletico goalkeeper out of position.
With everything going Barcelona`s way, Messi nearly added another impressive score to a growing list in the 40th with a dribbling run started inside the Atletico half with two Atletico players beaten to go clear on goal. But the 21-year-old`s soft chip over Coupet rolled inches wide.
A minute later, John Heitinga hustled back to clear from Messi as he moved in goal alone.
The match was billed as a showdown between two of Argentina`s best players, but Messi stole the show from Argentina teammate and Atletico striker Sergio Aguero, who was ineffective and substituted in the 58th. Messi was replaced by Bojan Krkic with 20 minutes to play.
Ujfalusi nearly made amends for one of his defensive gaffes in the 72nd but Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes caught his header.
Henry, who had replaced Eto`o in the 60th, dished off to Xavi before continuing his run into the area to eventually volley home Krkic`s short pass on the fly in the 73rd.
Betis would rue its inability to convert a number of early opportunities even if Damia connected with Mark Rodriguez`s cross for the first goal conceded at El Madrigal in more than eight months.
Villarreal, coming off a Champions League victory over Celtic on Tuesday, looked sluggish and Betis exploited several midfield miscues with the visitors having three chances cleared off the Villarreal goal line in the first half alone.
But the momentum shifted in Villarreal`s favor in the second half and the second-half insertion of Guille Franco and Robert Pires improved the attack.
Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini left United States striker Jozy Altidore off the team again despite Turkey striker Nihat Kahveci being out for a month due to a leg injury.
Betis stayed in 18th place without a victory this season through six rounds.
On Sunday, defending champion Real Madrid, which has 12 points, faces Espanyol. Also, it`s: Recreativo Huelva vs. Malaga; Getafe vs. Almeria; Sevilla vs. Athletic Bilbao; Mallorca vs. Sporting Gijon; Osasuna vs. Racing Santander; and Deportivo La Coruna vs. Numancia.
http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=755539
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