Agency :
FC Barcelona all but assured their qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-1 win at home to Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday night although it was another unconvincing display from Ronald Koeman’s side.
Even though Leo Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after just two minutes against a rival that travelled to Spain without nine first team players, including their two first choice goalkeepers, due to COVID-19, Barca made hard work of the win.
Indeed, had it not been for a series of saves from Marc Andre Ter Stegen, who was back in the side after his knee operation in the summer, Barca could have suffered a shock defeat.
Pedri hit the bar for Barca moments after Messi’s opener, but Ter Stegen saved attempts from Vitaliy Buyalskiy and Tomasz Kedziora before the break.
Viktor Tsygankov and Artem Shabanov (twice) had further chances straight after the break before Gerard Pique doubled Barca’s lead with a header from an Ansu Fati cross following a corner in the 65th minute.
Tsygankov was denied once again by Ter Stegen before he finally netted a deserved goal for Dynamo when he scored from close range, although Barca held on without too many problems in the closing minutes.
Sevilla produced a brave fightback with 10 men at home to Russian side Krasnodar to claim a 3-2 win that had looked unlikely when Jesus Navas was sent off on the stroke of halftime.
Krasnodar opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Shapi Suleymanov scored with a direct free kick, and they doubled their lead just four minutes later when Jules Kounde committed a penalty, which was subsequently scored by Marcos Berg.
FC Barcelona all but assured their qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-1 win at home to Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday night although it was another unconvincing display from Ronald Koeman’s side.
Even though Leo Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after just two minutes against a rival that travelled to Spain without nine first team players, including their two first choice goalkeepers, due to COVID-19, Barca made hard work of the win.
Indeed, had it not been for a series of saves from Marc Andre Ter Stegen, who was back in the side after his knee operation in the summer, Barca could have suffered a shock defeat.
Pedri hit the bar for Barca moments after Messi’s opener, but Ter Stegen saved attempts from Vitaliy Buyalskiy and Tomasz Kedziora before the break.
Viktor Tsygankov and Artem Shabanov (twice) had further chances straight after the break before Gerard Pique doubled Barca’s lead with a header from an Ansu Fati cross following a corner in the 65th minute.
Tsygankov was denied once again by Ter Stegen before he finally netted a deserved goal for Dynamo when he scored from close range, although Barca held on without too many problems in the closing minutes.
Sevilla produced a brave fightback with 10 men at home to Russian side Krasnodar to claim a 3-2 win that had looked unlikely when Jesus Navas was sent off on the stroke of halftime.
Krasnodar opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Shapi Suleymanov scored with a direct free kick, and they doubled their lead just four minutes later when Jules Kounde committed a penalty, which was subsequently scored by Marcos Berg.
