ALMERIA: Midfielder Fermin Lopez struck twice to power Barcelona to a solid 2-0 victory over bottom-ranked Almeria during the ongoing La Liga 2023-24 at Power Horse Stadium on Thursday.
Almeria, who only managed two victories in the current season and are already relegated, challenged the second-positioned Barcelona. However, the Catalans proved too strong for the home side.
Barcelona are now four points ahead of the third-ranked Girona.
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Lopez opened the scoring for the visitors in the 14th minute with a brilliant header from a very close range. This was 6th La Liga goal for the midfielder this season.
Almeria’s Leo Baptistao had an opportunity to equalize eight minutes later when he found Anthony Lozano, but he missed a wide shot, squandering their chance for a comeback.
Lopez then doubled Barcelona’s lead after 67 minutes after meeting Sergi Roberto’s cross at the centre of the box and hitting home safely.
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“I’m happy to help the team with goals but above all for the win,” Fermin Lopez told Movistar after the game. “We will fight for second until the end, it’s our objective now.”
Later, in another La Liga match at Reale Arena, Real Sociedad edged past Valencia, courtesy of a third-minute header by André Silva.
With the victory Real Sociedad jumped into sixth place, a point ahead of Betis, seventh, with the sides meeting in Seville on Sunday in a crunch clash.
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