Barcelona vs. Real Madrid – Soccer match report – March 20, 2023 – ESPN

frank kessie scored an injury-time winner to give Barcelona a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in Sunday’s Clasico at the Camp Nou and a whopping 12-point lead over second-place Real Madrid, with 12 games remaining in the LaLiga season.

An own goal from Ronald Araujo put Real Madrid ahead in the ninth minute, but Barcelona responded to claim a deserved equalizer via sergi robertoThe serene finish just on the edge of halftime.

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Real Madrid thought they had a potentially vital winner with nine minutes to go when sub Marco Asensio turned to Daniel Carvajalthe cross However, after a lengthy VAR review, it was ruled that Asensio had initially been in an offside position.

Instead, as Madrid surged forward in search of a game-winner they surely needed to maintain realistic hopes of improving their opponents’ LaLiga lead, Kessie converted a cut from Alex Balde in the second minute of stoppage time to send the Camp Nou crowd. wild with pleasure

Kessie’s effort was only the third game-winning stoppage-time goal in El Clásico history and secured a 100th win in all competitions for Barcelona against Real Madrid.

Now, with 68 points in 26 games, Barça has a comfortable cushion of 12 points and a first title in four years within reach.

With Pep Guardiola in attendance, Barcelona were aiming to win three consecutive Clásicos for the first time since the now Manchester City boss was in charge at the Camp Nou during the 2011-12 season.

And they started as if they intended to get that victory. Pressing high and with ferocious intensity, Barcelona made Madrid tremble in the opening minutes. Thibaut Courtois had to be at this prime time to keep out the efforts of Robert Lewandowski and raphinha while sergi roberto Shot just over the crossbar.

Within the first 10 minutes, the match had already seen more shots on goal than the previous meeting between the teams, which Barcelona won 1-0 in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg earlier this month.

However, as in that match, it was an own goal that opened the scoring. of very little, junior vinicius he fired a cross from near the baseline on the left, and Araujo found his head in the wrong place at the wrong time to deflect the ball. Marc-André ter Stegen at your nearest post.

The goal was the first Barcelona had conceded since the open game at home in La Liga this season and dented their initial momentum as Madrid gained confidence and composure.

But as the first half drew to a close, Barcelona turned up the pressure yet again to go into half time with the score level.

Madrid did their best to keep the locals at bay, but after a well-covered shot from Raphinha, the ball fell into the hands of Sergi Roberto, who shot perfectly placed from the side to beat Courtois from 12 meters.

The two teams traded chances early in the second half, as Federico Valverde He parried a deflected shot for Madrid and Lewandowski had a shot narrowly deflected.

But it was Madrid who needed victory the most, and when the clock passed the hour, coach Carlo Ancelotti went to his substitute bench to make two substitutions in attack, causing Rodrygo and ferland mendy for Toni Kroos and Nacho.

Almost immediately, Rodrygo had a golden opportunity to put Madrid ahead again. But after Sergio Busquets gave away the ball to allow a clear shot from the edge of the area, the young Brazilian firing his shot high over the bar.

As the game reached the final 10 minutes, Madrid launched themselves in search of a goal that would alter the title race. But, with the help of VAR, Barcelona survived before Kessie plunged a late knife into Madrid’s hopes of retaining their title.