BARCELONA, Spain (AP) – Lamine Yamal scored Barcelona’s first goal on Saturday and tormented defenders throughout the game, leading the La Liga leaders to a 3-1 victory over Elche on Saturday.
Yamal scored in the sixth minute, playing a pass to Marcus Rashford late in the second half to seal the win. Elche briefly equalized in the first half, but Ferran Torres re-established a 2-1 advantage just before half-time at the Martinez Valero Stadium.
Their goals increased Barcelona to four points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid before they face Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.
It was Yamal’s third consecutive game in which he scored for Barcelona. The 18-year-old Spanish star found the back of the net. 3-0 victory over Real Oviedo last weekend and this year 4-1 victory over Copenhagen Wednesday to advance the team to the round of 16 of the Champions League.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised Yamal, saying he “still has the potential to reach another level”.
Elche caused a surprise this season by returning to the top flight with an attack-first mentality despite having a small squad. They have lost just once at home in their last 11 games, including a 2-2 draw with Madrid.
And coach Eder Sarabia, a former Barcelona assistant, did not hesitate to counter Barcelona’s firepower.
However, the home side were lucky to only be a one-goal lead by half-time after a rocky first half by the visiting team. In addition to the goals from Yamal and Torres, Elche defender Victor Chus cleared shots from Rafinha and Torres off the line, and Dani Olmo and Torres hit the wooden frame a total of three times.
“I had a great game today except for the last few meters,” Flick said. “Normally, this game would have been decided in the first half.”
Yamal gave Barcelona an early lead when Olmo, starting for the injured Pedri for the third game in a row, collected the ball and fed a long pass into an open space where Elche’s left-back was out of position. Yamal completed the rest by dribbling past former Barcelona goalkeeper Iñaki Peña and scoring his 13th goal of the season.
Elche striker Alvaro Rodríguez scored the equalizer against the run of play, beating goalkeeper João Garcia one-on-one after Germán Barrera set him up behind Barcelona’s high defensive line.
Barcelona counterattacked by attacking forward, finishing the game with a total of 30 shots to Elche’s nine.
Torres’ volley hit the crossbar, hit the wooden frame in quick succession, bounced off the shoulder and bounced back to the post, while Yamal’s pass was wasted on the edge of the six-yard box when Fermin López fired high.
Torres put Barcelona back on top in the 39th minute with an exquisite team passing move. The striker cleared Frenkie de Jong into the box, who drew Pena and passed the ball back to Torres, who slotted it over the goal.
Rashford came on for Rafinha at half-time, and in the 72nd minute Yamal bounced in at half-time to complete a pass that was touched by an Elche defender and the former Manchester United forward scored.
This loss left Elche in 12th place.
atlético stall
Three days after Atlético Madrid were held to a goalless draw with relegation-threatened Levante, Fell in Bodo/Glimt 2-1 in the Champions League. As a result, the difference between third-place Atletico and Barcelona is now 10 points.
Atlético striker Alexander Soros taken to hospital After a collision with a Levante player in the first half.
Moreno scores 2 points
With Gerard Moreno’s two goals, fourth-placed Villarreal dominated the first half against Osasuna and won the match against a 2-2 draw.
For Osasuna, winger Victor Muñoz and striker Ante Budimir scored.
Oviedo finally wins
Oviedo defeated Girona 1-0 at home thanks to a second-half goal from Ilyas Cheara, ending a 15-game winless streak. Oviedo, which was promoted this season, has not won since late September. Oviedo remained at the bottom of the table with six points remaining.
Girona’s loss ended their winning streak at three.
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