Match

Marcador del partit

  • Date: Sunday, 09 Aug
  • Competition: ???label.competicio25???
  • Stadium: Candlestick Park, San Francisco

Resultat:

  • Chivas: 1
  • FC Barcelona: 1

Match report

Match Report

Goals

1-0 Morales (m. 49)
1-1 Bojan (m. 63)

Final game drawn (1-1)

Jordi Clos

Barca finished their US Tour with a 1-1 draw against Chivas in San Francisco. Guardiola's team had to come back from a goal down and once again it was Bojan who was on the mark to earn them the draw.

It was a sad occasion all round as the news of Dano Jarque's tragic death oversadowed the preparations. The Barca players were clearly affected by the tragic events in Italy, though they acted with professionalism throughout to put in a convincing performance that should set them up well for the start of the season proper next week.

Players shocked by Jarque death

It wasn't just the black armbands the Barca players wore that showed their shock at the death of Jarque, the distress was clear to see in their faces before the game. In truth, Barca made a slow start and their game missed the joy and verve which have been so typical of their performances on this tour so far. The first chance came on 13 minutes when Alves fired in a long range effort the keeper did well to block. It was Leo Messi, tonight playing in the hole behind the strikers, who sparked the team though and proved to be the biggest headache for the Mexican defence.

Messi opens up the defence

The strong wind and a packed Chivas defence made it difficult to open up the Mexican's back line, but Messi appeared to have done so on the half hour, brilliantly slipping Henry through. The Frenchman rounded the keeper, but was unable to put away his chance.Messi was again involved 5 minutes later when he seemed to have set up Pedro for his 4th goal of the tour, but the Chivas keeper saved well, as he did a few minutes later from a Henry effort.

Shock Chivas goal

Depite their chances, Barca went in goalless at halftime, when Guardiola took the opportunity to make wholesale changes in the team, with only Valdes, Alves and Pedro continuing after the break. Totally against the run of play, Chivas then managed a goal as Morales headed in on 49 minutes. Barca came back strong though, with Bojan and Alves both coming close, as well as Reynosos nearly putting through his own net.

Bojan on target again

It was all Barca attack now and on 63 minutes the team got their rewrad for so much pressure when Bojan put away an Alves centre to draw the teams level. Almost imediately afterwards, the Brazilian could have made it two when his shot rattled back off the crossbar.

Close call

It all nearly ended badly though, as Chivas missed a great chance to win the game on 87 minutes when Padilla's individual effort hit the post with Valdes well beaten. That was almost the last action of note and Barca had to be satisfied with a draw to add to their two wins on this succesful US Tour.


Preview

Double header

Before Barça play Chivas, Candlestick Park will host a Major League Soccer match between MLS Columbus Crew and San José Earthquakes.

Last test in San Francisco

Jordi Clos

Barça are about to end their American tour and tonight play their final friendly against Chivas of Guadalajara in San Francisco (5.00, TV3 and LaSexta). The next fixture after that is their first official encounter – the Spanish Super Cup.

If the last game against Seattle Sounders is anything to go by, Barça can afford to be optimistic as their preseason draws to a close. On Saturday night (5.00, TV3 and LaSexta), the treble winners take on Mexican outfit Chivas of Guadalajara at Candlestick Park. It promises to be a good test before they take on Athletic Bilbao for the Super Cup.

More testing

BARCELONA_08.jpgPep Guardiola has played totally different sides in each half of the games played to date. Tonight we can be sure that none of the players with fitness problems, Iniesta, Ibrahimovic and Márquez, will be turning out, meaning no chance for the Mexican to face his compatriots. But one of the surprise packages of the preseason, Jonathan dos Santos, is available for selection.

Two previous meetings

web_06.jpgBarça v Chivas is something of a regular summer fixture these days. This is the third time in four years that the sides have met. In 2006 they drew in Los Angeles (1-1), while a year before in Chicago, Barça cruised to a 2-5 win.

Institution in Mexico

Chivas Guadalajara have won eleven Mexican championships, more than any other club. They currently have a very young squad, many of which are products of the excellent youth system, and have no foreigners. Several studies claim that they are one of the most supported clubs in the world.

The club’s latest signing is Omar Bravo, who came from Deportivo la Coruña. But against Barça, manager Francisco Ramírez will have to make do without any of Magallón, Galindo and Medina, who have been called up by the national side.