It's hard to think that just before our previous Champions League match, the odds were ugly against our qualifying. And it's incredible how the boys turned it all around in that one meet with Inter Milan... and now they've returned to finish the job at the expense of Dynamo Kiev.The match opened up on something of a sour note for Barca, with the oppisiton putting one past Victor Valdes in just the second minute, a ball that Vic fumbled on and really should have saved.
Now at that point it may have seemed like it was time to panic, but our boys left no room for panicking. After that little mishap they just grabbed hold of the match and from there on out, it was all about Blaugrana.
There wasn't much Dynamo could do except for defend - and by defend we mean foul. They put forward their efforts and legs to do all they could to stop our boys... but the boys wouldn't be stopped.
Barca was dominating with fluid passing and solid, team football. The midfield was the focal point of play, with Xavi, in what was his hundredth CL match, geared up to the max and making magic. He did his thing in spreading the ball out in all directions and creating movement, and then went on to put in Barca's equilizer...
Around eighty straight passes were laced from player to player until the ball found Xavi perefectly positioned to tuck it in right past the keeper. You could tell that Barca weren't going to settle for going into halftime with Dynamo ahead, and when the eqilizer came, we were celebrating for as many reasons as there were passes leading up to that goal.
Xavi's finish was beautiful, and the fact that he's the one who scored it makes it all the more awesome. We just love when Xavi scores, he deserves to do it more often. The result was now even, with the draw being sufficient to ensure Barca's qualification to the next last sixteen round, and the match was still far from over... and just watching the plays, the passing that led up to it was incredible. The boys were making it all about control and all about team, and that's what matters most.
Chance after chance came and went somehow without the ball making it all the way to the net. It was frustrating a bit because we were playing so well, and it wasn't till just minutes before the final whistle that we finally saw the second and winning goal of the match for Barca.
Goal came courtesy of Leo Messi, from a freekick. Why do we always find it so cute when Messi scores from freekicks? We just do. It was fabulous the way he managed to sail the ball over the player wall and into the net, putting Barca ahead and further strengthening the team's qualification.
The lads need to work more on putting away chances, because with all the opportunities and domination they had, it's almost a shame they didn't score a couple more. Here, the two goals were more than enough for the team to get by, but in a later match they might not be... however we're thrilled by the wondrous teamwork and passing we had the pelasure of seeing in this match, and that counts for so much. So onward we storm, to the keep on going and going for it all in the Champions League and everywhere else.
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