Barcelona stayed clear of a shock in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday night. They beat third tier side CD Guadalajara 2 to 0 to move into the last 16.
The goals came late. Andreas Christensen scored first. Marcus Rashford added the second in the final minute. The holders needed patience to get past their lower league rivals.
Barcelona remain on track for another Copa del Rey title. They are the most successful club in the competition’s history. Last season, they lifted the trophy after beating Real Madrid in the final.
The match was not easy. Kick off was delayed by 30 minutes as fans were allowed to enter the Estadio Pedro Escartin safely. Once play began, Barcelona controlled the ball as expected.
Despite their control, they could not score in the first half. Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez both came close, but the score stayed level at the break.
After the restart, Rashford missed a few good chances. Guadalajara defended with discipline and kept the game tight.
The breakthrough finally arrived with 15 minutes left. Christensen rose highest from a corner and headed the ball into the net. The goal brought relief to the Barcelona bench and fans.
Soon after, Fermin saw a goal ruled out. Guadalajara still hoped for a late twist, but Barcelona finished the job at the end.
In the final minute, Yamal played a fine pass to Rashford. The forward rounded the goalkeeper and scored to seal the win and end the contest.
