BARCELONA – Holders Barcelona squandered a chance to all but seal a probable King’s Cup semi-final showdown with Real Madrid when they conceded a late goal to draw 2-2 at home to 10-man Malaga in their last-eight first-leg match on Wednesday.
Report by Reuters
Barça beat Malaga 3-1 in La Liga on Sunday and coach Tito Vilanova and his Malaga counterpart Manuel Pellegrini both rested top players for the Cup clash at the Nou Camp.
After withstanding a barrage of early Barça attacks, Malaga drew first blood in the 25th minute when Thiago Alcantara dithered just outside his penalty area. He was dispossessed by Manuel Iturra who slotted past the stranded Jose Manuel Pinto.
Barça’s reaction was swift and another defensive lapse gifted them an equaliser three minutes later.
Lionel Messi, who showed off his four Fifa Ballon d’Or awards to the home fans before kickoff, robbed Weligton on the right and sped into the area before curling a low shot beyond Carlos Kameni. Barça took the lead a minute later when captain Carles Puyol stooped to meet Alcantara’s corner and sent a looping header over Kameni and in off a post.
Neither side created much danger in the second half but Malaga looked to be in serious trouble when Ignacio Monreal picked up a straight red card for felling Pedro when he was through on goal with 15 minutes left.
However, Barça failed to make their numerical advantage count and Ignacio Camacho was left unmarked at the far post to clip in a 90th-minute equaliser.
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Coming at the end of one of the sloppiest Barça performances of the season, the goal gave Malaga hope for next week’s return leg at their Rosaleda stadium on the south coast.
The La Liga leaders should have been out of sight but squandered a number of clear chances, with Chile forward Alexis Sanchez particularly wasteful.
