Barcelona Femeni played their third game in the group stage of the Champions League away from home when they faced Rosengard in Malmo. The Spanish side enjoyed a comfortable 6-0 win over their hosts and secured all three points once again.
Their were six different goalscorers for Barcelona in Malmo as the team put up a stellar performance away from home, defeating their opponents in style. An own goal opened the floodgates for Barca, before Salma Paralluelo, Patri Guijarro, Aitana Bonmati, Mariona Caldentey, and Martina Fernandez all scored to give the Catalans a 6-0 victory.
First Half
Barcelona were their usual dominant selves, keeping possession of the ball and constantly launching waves of attack on the opposition’s goal.
Salma Paralluelo almost opened the scoring very early but saw her shot tipped over the goalpost by the goalkeeper in the 4th minute. Six minutes later, the Spanish forward’s header was saved once again by the goalkeeper as Barcelona kept hounding the Rosengard penalty area in search of a goal.
In the 16th minute, the game opened up when Rosengard defender Jessica Wik’s attempt to intercept a Barcelona cross into the box was turned into her own goal. The defender sent Aitana Bonmati’s delivery aimed at Esmee Brugts past her own goalkeeper to hand Barcelona the lead.
In response to the goal, Rosengard broke free catching the Barcelona defence unaware and almost had an equalizer, but their effort on goal was denied by a spectacular save from Sandra Panos. The goalkeeper stretched to push the ball against the crossbar before gathering the loose ball with help from Lucy Bronze.
Paralluelo tried to score again from distance but her effort sailed harmlessly over the crossbar as the young forward kept pressing for a goal.
In the 37th minute, her labor in front of goal was rewarded when a quick touch of the ball with her right foot sent the ball past the goalkeeper for Barcelona’s second goal of the night. A wonderful exchange of passes between Keira Walsh and Ona Batlle freed the latter in the penalty area where she found Salma Paralluelo with a delightful pass.
Play progressed from the left flank once again and found Salma Paralluelo in the box, however, the forward crowded by the opposition defenders danced past her nearest marker and laid the ball into the path of Patri Guijarro who fired a rocket into the top corner to make it three for Barcelona right on the stroke of halftime.
Both teams went down the tunnel with Barcelona three goals ahead at the end of the first 45 minutes.
Second Half
Barcelona picked up where they left off in the second half, maintaining their dominance and keeping possession of the ball as they went hunting for more goals.
Aitana Bonmati scored in the 62nd minute when she latched onto an overhead pass from Lucy Bronze and guided the ball into the net from close range. With Barcelona four goals up, every chance of a comeback from Rosengard was buried.
Barcelona had a penalty shout shortly after when Mariona Caldentey was brought down in the box but the referee waived the appeal. The visitors were eventually awarded a penalty in the 73rd minute when Claudia Pina was brought down in the box. Mariona Caldentey stepped up and calmly converted the spot kick to make it five goals for Barcelona.
In the 76th minute, Vicky Lopez almost got her name on the scoreboard but saw her header saved by the goalkeeper. A minute later, Mariona Caldentey broke free from her marker but saw her effort crash against the post as Rosengard survived another Barcelona onslaught.
Martina Fernandez would have the final say on the scoreline as the defender scored her first goal in the competition from a corner kick for Barcelona’s sixth of the night. The defender was handed her debut in the Champions League when she was brought on to replace Marta Torrejon late in the half. Martina met with Claudia Pina’s delivery at the near post and fired a one-time shot beyond the goalkeeper.
The game ended with a 6-0 victory for Barcelona, completing three wins out of three matches played and maintaing their position at the top of the group’s standings.
The return leg of this fixture will be Barcelona Femeni’s next game in the Champions League, and the defending champions will be playing at home to secure their qualification into the knockout stages of the competition come December 21.
