Sevilla - Barcelona second half live blog

By: Isaiah | March 3rd, 2007

So it’s 1-1 at half and Barcelona need to start creating more chances. I’m wondering if Eto’o will make an appearance for 45 minutes or if Rijkaard will wait until the 60th minute to put him on. Seems a good idea to keep him on the bench at the moment, but I never do make the right call when it comes to predicting what Rijkaard will do.

I’m still somewhat in shock that Ronnie missed a penalty and then Kerzhakov scored like that, but it’s so far what I predicted (1-1) so that part isn’t a surprise, just how it came to be. Kanoute is being well marked, but Kerzhakov really is looking like the dangerous striker I thought he was.

The second half, after the jump.

1: Eto’o does start on the sideline, but he’s talking with Rijkaard so he’ll probably go on in a little bit, though Saviola is warming up on the sidelines. Who knows what’s going on in Frank’s mind. A shot of Eto’o showing him pulling down his socks, but it could just be to check his shin guards. And the Sevilla start with the ball here.

1: Giuly collects in the corner and takes his man, but the central defender does well to step in and cut off Giuly’s path. That was a foul, but it would have been a very weak penalty, though technically it would have been the correct call. Damn.

3: Barcelona are controlling well, but here is Kerzhakov taking possession and megging a man…Kanoute is unlucky not to score! Marquez fell on the ball and then Valdes was there to block the shot. Lucky for Barcelona, unlucky for SEvilla.

4: Messi with a nice run, but he takes on one too many men and loses the ball. He’s such a good player the need to get him more involved. Barcelona are grabbing control the midfield now. Iniesta is exerting his influence and nearly creates a shooting chance for himself; too unselfish of him as he tries to give it back to Ronaldinho who hadn’t made the run with him. Giuly is playing well on the wing.

6: Sevilla are now finding it hard to get the ball out of their half. Messi is chopped down for what seems like the 100th time so far. And the freekick is passed to the back. and then up the wing, moved to the center for Ronaldinho…who blasts about 30 yards high.

8: Shot by Xavi which goes a little wide, with Palop well and truly beaten. What a shot!

9: English-language commentators pay no attention to the game.

10: Barcelona are spreading the field well, but not making too many inroads on the Sevilla defense. I credit Alves for doign a great job on Messi, with a few exceptions, of cousre, but who can hold Messi for 90 minutes? No one that I know of. Barcelona are trying to get a little more physical, especially in the midfield, and Sevilla aren’t backing down. They’re a much more physical team and Barcelona would do well to keep away from them.

11: Alves tries a nice move, but Messi turns defender and takes the ball away. Messi wins a freekick as Alves commits a hand ball and Barcelona are playing it around well. Giuly and Messi have switched sides, but Ronalidnho can find neither.

12: Giuly with teh ball on the wing, center to Xavi, Messi on the right side…SHOOTS and tipped over! What shot and what a save. Nice job by Messi. Out for a corner.

13: Corner taken and the ball looks to have been a hand ball on Barcelona, which it was. On Ronnie who found the ball bouncing towards him. Who would have guessed it would have bounced in the middle of the Sevilla box and go to the back post? Bad defending.

15: Barcelona dispossed and Kerzhakov wins a freekick just outside the box, middle left channel. He’s really having a good game and it does look like a foul on Oleguer, who is not having a good game. He’s the man Kerzhakov beat for Sevilla’s goal. This is a dangerous position.

16: And the kick is taken by Alves…GOAL! What a freekick by Alves! And they’re a man down too. Ridiculous, but what a great shot. It did take a little deflection and it was enough to throw Valdes off. I think he would have saved it otherwise.

17: And Giuly gets a red card! What? I missed it. Oh my does this change things. Oh what a weak card! The replay shows him tugging a bit on Alves, but what a bad red card. Ridiculous! There was nothing there whatsoever…Adriano goes out and Puerta comes on. Defensive subsitution and now Barcelona need to take it to Sevilla to get back in it. I didn’t see this coming about 3 minutes ago!

20: Fouls are coming thick and fast now and it’s getting to be a pretty testy game. Not exactly “game of the year” as the commentators have decried, but getting better. Ronaldinho commits a foul by not playing for a 50/50 ball and Eto’o is warming up. He’ll be coming on soon.

22: Sevilla have a break and it’s on the wing…Puerta shoots from a tight angle and valdes barely gets a hand on it to put it out for a corner. Sevilla are pushing now to kill off this game. Puyol heads it out for another corner. Eto’o is receiving his instructions and he’ll be on in minute. Sevilla are taking their time on this kick…which is cleared as far as the top of the box and Sevilla retain possession.

23: Sevilla still with the ball, passing it around and Alves runs Marquez over while losing the ball. Eto’o on for Marquez and they’re going for broke.

25: Scrappy play in front of the Barcelona box and Sevilla win a freekick, which is shot off the bottom of the wall. Barcelona get possession and Eto’o will get is first touch in a second. He’s playing as the lone striker, but Saviola will now come on for Messi, who looked a little tired for the last few minutes.
27: Messi tries to cross it, but his defender smacks it out for a corner, which Xavi will take. And the picture just cut out, which I’m not happy about. What’s happening? I don’t know, the sound is out as well…we’ll have to wait and see…nothing seems to have happened and Sevilla have possession.

29: Kerzhakov commits his first mistake of the game by being offside. And it was a good call, not really close at all. And he gets subbed for that mistake…or because they want a defender on. He’s replaced by Alfaro. Eto’o still hasn’t touched the ball.

31: Barcelona build, but Ronnie gives it away with a terrible pass. And Puerta is taken down by Zambrotta who gets a card for what looked like a solid tackle. That’s a second yellow and he’s off! Now they’re down by a man! And now Eto’o picks up a yellow card for talking and Zambrotta trots off after arguing. Two terrible red cards and Barcelona have a mountain to climb. Disgusting display by this referee who was doing well for a while.

34: Ronaldinho is being subbed off for Edmilson? What? That’s nuts. And immediately Barcelona are creating chances. I wouldn’t have called that.

35: and the video is out again and won’t come back…a little audio is available, but I can’t tell what’s going on.

Yeah, I’ve lost the feed, so I’ll be back with a post-match discussion. Sorry.