Barca won their first trophy of the season at the Nou Camp tonight, taking the Spanish Super Cup 4-2 on aggregate against Betis, despite losing 1-2 on the night in a game they dominated and were unlucky to lose.
Betis put out a weakened team with one eye on their upcoming Champions League qualifier, but Rijkaard went with the same strong starting 11 as last week and within a quarter of an hour Barca were one up when Eto’o stole a ball off Melli and raced away to beat Contrearas in a one on one. Before that Deco had gone close with a header and just as happened last week, Barca were very much in control of possession.
Betis hit Barca on the break
However, Betis knew that their only chance was to hit Barca on the break and on 23 minutes, after Ronaldinho appeared to have been fouled on the edge of the visitors box, the Seville team broke quickly down the left for Cisco to cross unmarked to the far post where the unmarked Dani shot past Valdes. Five minutes later it was 1-2 as Cisco again put in a cross, which Oleguer miskicked and Dani, again at the back post, grabbed his second. Despite the two blows, Barca were continuing to play good possession football, with Deco, Ronaldinho and Eto’o looking dangerous, but it was Betis who nearly made it 1-3 on 34 minutes when Valdes made a great stop to keep out a Fernando shot. From the save, Ronaldinho took the ball into the Betis box, before laying off for Giuly, whose shot was palmed away by Contreras.
Unlucky penalty shout
Barca will think themselves unlucky not to have levelled before half time when Eto’o was brought down in the box on 42 minutes, the ball fell to Ronaldinho with just Contreras to beat and the ref seemed to play advantage, but the Brazilian’s shot was beaten away by the keeper.
Pressure continues in second half
Belletti was taken off at the break, with Oleguer slipping into the right back spot and Marquez coming on to partner Puyol at the heart of the Barca defence. For the first 20 minutes of the second half Barca pressured the Betis defence with Ronaldinho turning on his magic to try and break down the visitors’s defence, but it wasn’t until the 64th minute that a goal looked close when in three minutes Contreras made three great saves to deny Ronaldinho twice and Eto’o from drawing the game level.
Goal fails to come
Betis needed to score, but it was Barca who were applying all the pressure as the game wound down. Rijkaard took the opportunity to bring on Gabri and Larsson for Deco and Giuly, but the equalising goal just wouldn’t come, though it certainly looked close late on when a sizzling Sylvinho shot went just wide of Contreras’ post . In the end, though, Barca lost the game, but won the Cup after two games in which they showed their overall superiority and gave the fans a glimpse of what they can look forward to from next week when the La Liga season kicks off.
