With characteristically beautiful goals in the 19th and the 92d minute by Messi Wan Kenobi, yesterday FC Barcelona dismissed Danish league Champions FC Kobenhavn, 2-Nil to take first place in Group 'D' of the Champions League competition. With solid defense work from the back line Abidal, Pique, Puyol and Alves, Barca was able to move the ball about freely, allowing the front line of Iniesta, Villa and Messi to shoot on goal. Goals in the 32d minute by Villa and in the 38th minute by Messi were dissallowed for being offsides, but this reflects the offensive duress that Kobenhavn was under, and the final score could easily have been much more lopsided.
With 7 points in Group 'D' play, Barcelona is now well positioned to win their group and advance to the next round of play. However, because Kobenhavn finished the group stage in second place with 6 points, Barcelona will face them again on November 2d in Parken Stadion, Copenhaven. Assuming Barca displays the same fine defense work and offensive coordination, the outcome should be the same and Barcelona should advance once more in this year's Champions League play.
Barcelona's next match is this Saturday, October 23rd when they visit Zaragoza.
“LIKE A JEDI KNIGHT— no, better than that— A TEMPLAR KNIGHT. This is a FLASH OF PURE INSPIRATION, and let me tip my hat to the genesis of this goal: Ibarra. Lionel only absolutely LIGHTS IT UP here, he LIFTS OFF IT, FLAMETHROWERS IT PAST poor Reny Vega. It’s just as well Reny didn’t get a hand to that because it would have TAKEN IT OFF HIS WRIST. Superlative football and an out of this world BERNINI SCULPTURE of a finish." GOL TV Commentator Ray Hudson
