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Barca straight into stride (01.09.2004)
Barca dominated proceedings at the El Sardinero tonight, running out 0-2 winners with second half goals for league debutants Giuly and Eto`o.
Forwards dominate After a slow first 10 minutes, Barca upped the pace and dominated the half, hardly allowing Santander a touch of the ball. With Deco enjoying plenty of space, Eto`o, Giuly and Larsson all began to threaten. On 18 minutes, Larsson set up Giuly, who fired over and 5 minutes later the roles were reversed, only for Aouate to stop the Swede`s effort at the near post. In between times, Deco culminated a period of intense pressure with a shot from the edge of the box that the keeper again did well to stop.
All Barca
It was all Barca now and Giuly drew two more outstanding saves from the keeper- one from a Van Bronkhorst centre and the other after some classy skills from Etoo out on the right. With the home defence unable to handle the Barca attacks, the keeper also had to make a great stop from a Larsson header on 31 minutes.
Giuly and Eto`o off the mark
With Oleguer on for Van Bronkhorst at half time, it
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remained one way traffic after the break Santander`s only half chance coming from a melee in the Barca box following a, free kick from the left. Barca`s pressure was non-stop though, and sure enough, a goal soon came along. On 67 minutes, Beletti picked out Giuly free at the back post and the Frenchman fired home past the keeper. Within 5 minutes it was two, as Iniesta, who`d come on just past the hour mark for Larsson, split the home defence and found Xavi on the edge of the box. The Catalan midfielder was clumsily brought down as he bore in on goal and Samuel Eto`o joined Giuly in marking his league debut with a goal, slotting in a perfect penalty.
Could have been more
Barca could easily have added to their score in the final quarter of an hour, as Eto`o, twice, and Deco both came close. It was indeed a dominant performance and Valdes` was only called on to make one proper save, on 85 minutes, pushing away a shot from Aganzo. As it was, Rijkaard could be well pleased with an impressive start to the season, as his team earned three points and put in an imposing 90 minute effort to start the season off.
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