Barcelona Femeni faced off against Real Sociedad in their first league game after being crowned champions of the division. The league leaders, having retained their crown in their last game against Sporting de Huelva, put on a show worthy of champions as they defeated their hosts, putting five goals beyond them while conceding two.
With the league title already secured, Barca fielded a rotated squad and also gave a few of their young players a chance to show their talents.
We bring you a brief description of what happened during the game against Real Sociedad.
First Half
Barcelona dominated the first 45 minutes, in which we saw a total of five goals from both teams.
The Catalan side showed their intention to run riot against the side that almost gave them their first loss in the league in the reverse fixture.
Mapi Leon came really close to opening the scoring in the 4th minute of the game with a brilliant header that was saved by the Real Sociedad goalkeeper.
Barcelona then faced a scare afterward in the 9th minute when Nuria Rabano’s weak back pass was intercepted by the Real Sociedad forward, who couldn’t make the best of the opportunity.
The referee showed Mariona Caldentey the only yellow card of the game for dissent in the 11th minute after a foul on a Real Sociedad player.
The Blaugrana opened the floodgates courtesy of Patri Guijarro’s goal in the 21st minute of the game. After a pass from Mariona Caldentey, the Barcelona number 12 took a beautiful turn around her marker and slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
In a similar fashion to the opener, Barcelona got their second goal of the night from a finish by Asisat Oshoala in the 25th minute. Patri Guijarro set up Barcelona’s leading goal scorer in the league, who in return made a fancy turn to lose her marker and place her shot in the top corner.
However, Barcelona wasn’t ready to shut down the gates yet. Aitana Bonmati also got in on the act in the 29th minute with a beautifully executed left-footed shot after receiving a pass from Caroline Graham Hansen.
In the 32nd minute, provider turned scorer after Caroline Graham Hansen was allowed to head home Barcelona’s fourth goal after a wonderful delivery from Nuria Rabano.
Marta Torrejon also came close to scoring a header from a Barcelona corner kick but couldn’t find enough power to direct the ball past the Real Sociedad goalkeeper.
Real Sociedad got a goal back in the 38th minute. After a quick freekick was taken that found the Barcelona defense in disarray, Synne Jensen went around Sandra Panos to finish into an empty net.
Shortly after, Oshoala missed a one-on-one opportunity, after being played through on goal. The ball was then recycled again back to the Barcelona forward, who found Graham Hansen with a beautiful one-two pass, but the ball got caught under the Norwegian’s foot and she couldn’t place it past the goalkeeper.
Aitana Bonmati was also denied a second goal by a last-ditch tackle. The midfielder dribbled past two defenders in an elegant fashion, but her shot was deflected out of play for a corner kick.
Barcelona went into halftime with a 4-1 lead, which made it clear that victory was certain.
Second Half
Unlike the first 45 minutes, the second half didn’t have much goal action. The champions came out of the dugout raring to go for more goals. Barcelona exerted her dominance over the hosts in a similar fashion to the first half.
Graham Hansen came close to scoring her second of the evening but was denied by the goalkeeper. However, the midfielder was not going to be denied a second time. In the 58th minute, Aitana Bonmati passed the ball to the Norwegian winger, who then danced beyond two defenders and placed a left-footed shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Alexia Putellas was brought on to replace Keira Walsh in the 63rd minute. After spending a long time out due to injury, the team’s captain has been getting minutes to give her a chance to integrate with the team and reclaim the incredible form and fitness she had prior to her getting injured.
An own goal saw Real Sociedad get their second of the game. After a beautiful exchange of passes down the flank, a low pass was made into the Barcelona box, and Patri Guijarro put the ball past her own goalkeeper.
Barcelona’s leading goal scorer, Asisat Oshoala, then missed a chance again in the 68th minute, after a brilliant ball was put in the box. The Nigerian forward couldn’t deflect the ball past the opposing goalkeeper to bag her second goal of the evening.
Another goal almost went in for the Blaugrana after a mistake at the back. Bruna Vilamala, who was substituted for Oshoala, got hold of the loose ball and teed up Graham, whose shot was blocked by a desperate last-ditch tackle. However, even if the ball had gone in, the goal wouldn’t have stood as the winger was already flagged for offside.
As the game progressed, Graham Hansen tried to set up Alexia Putellas for her first goal after her return from injury. But the ball seemed to catch the skipper unaware.
Barcelona continued to dominate the game in their usual pattern until the final whistle was blown.
Goal and Assists
FC Barcelona Femeni
21′ Patri Guijarro – GOAL
Mariona Caldentey – ASSIST
25′ Asisat Oshoala – GOAL
Patri Guijarro – ASSIST
29′ Aitana Bonmati- GOAL
Caroline Graham Hansen – ASSIST
32′ Caroline Graham Hansen- GOAL
Nuria Rabano – ASSIST
58′ Caroline Graham Hansen- GOAL
Aitana Bonmati – ASSIST
Real Sociedad
38′ Synne Jensen- GOAL
64′ Patri Guijarro – OWN GOAL
Substitutions
63′ Keira Walsh, Mariona Caldentey – OUT
Alexia Putellas, Vicky Lopez – IN
70′ Asisat Oshoala – OUT
Bruna Vilamala – IN
76′ Irene Paredes, Nuria Rabano – OUT
Martina Fernandez, Lucia Corrales – IN
The match ended 5-2 in favor of the champions, who now have 3 games left to conclude their Liga F season. The win ensured that the Catalans continued their run of victories in the league since they lost to Atletico Madrid in June 2021.
