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Rakitic lifts Barcelona over Napoli in Miami matchup
MIAMI, Aug 8, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Ivan Rakitic’s goal in the 79th minute
lifted Barcelona to a 2-1 victory over Napoli in a lively pre-season
encounter at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Croatian midfielder struck a crisply driven effort after a first half
own-goal from Samuel Umtiti had cancelled out Sergio Busquet’s opener for the
La Liga champions at the home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
This was the first leg of two matches between the European giants, with the
second encounter taking place in Michigan on Saturday.
With the Spanish and Italian leagues not starting until later this month,
both clubs are still in pre-season mode, yet that didn’t stop them serving up
an interesting first 45 minutes.
Antoine Griezmann, Barcelona’s $134 million signing from Atletico Madrid,
was lively from the start, linking up well with strike partner Luis Suarez.
Brazilian Philippe Coutinho, who has been linked with a move away from the
Nou Camp and has traveled to Miami, wasn’t in the match day squad, having
been granted extra time off following his exertions at the Copa America last
month.
Yet it was the Italians, guided by former Real Madrid manager Carlo
Ancelotti, who created the more clear cut openings, with Lorenzo Insigne
causing the Barca backline plenty of problems along with Belgian forward
Dries Mertens.
A superb move on 18 minutes saw Insigne denied by a brilliant point blank
save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen before Mertens fired just wide.
Barcelona were struggling to find any rhythm, but seven minutes before the
break, captain Busquets superbly curled the ball home, much to the delight of
the pro Barca crowd of 57,062.
Three minutes later, however, Napoli deservedly drew level.
Ex-Real Madrid midfielder Jose Callejon’s effort was turned past Ter Stegen
by Umtiti, who endured a difficult half at the center of Barca manager
Ernesto Valverde’s defence, as did new signing Junior, who was making his
debut.
Suarez and Griezmann were both replaced at half-time but the game lacked
the intensity of the opening exchanges with a succession of changes from both
managers. Croatian Rakitic fired wide on 56 minutes but chances were few and
far between.
With 23 minutes remaining, Ousmane Dembele hit the post with a curling
effort but only Napoli’s Arkadiusz Milik will know how he missed from close
range a few minutes later, the Polish forward somehow putting the ball over
the bar with the goal gaping.
And it wasn’t long before the excellent Rakitic made Napoli pay by drilling
in from the edge of the area to secure the Barcelona victory.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 0803 hrs