soccer-europe.com

21 March 2000

SPARTA PRAGUE 1-2 BARCELONA

Svoboda gave Sparta the lead with a brilliantly placed shot inside the post. Ronald de Boer picked out Dani on the edge of the box with a terrific pass, as Dani was fouled the ball fell to Gabri, he touched the ball on with his right foot and fired it past Postulka with his left, brilliant finish. Sparta Prague were awarded a penalty when Lokvenc threw himself over Hesp but Happel's awful penalty was easily saved. Gabri then scored his second of the night with crisp strike inside the post, Ronald de Boer once again supplying the pass.

Gabri looked outstanding for Spain in various youth competitions and has shown he is capable of performing on the big stage. Let's hope he isn't confined to the bench.

Attendance : 20,224


15 MARCH 2000

BARCELONA 3-1 HERTHA BERLIN

Alves woke up the home crowd with a header from Covic's cross. Xavi equalised with a deflected shot. Gabri stole a ball in his own half, got a lucky bounce from a tackle, ran from the half way line and shot past Kiraly. Another lucky bounce from Litmanen's shot left Kluivert with an easy chance.

Attendance : 48,000


PORTO 2-2 SPARTA PRAGUE

The ball fell nicely to Costa from a free kick and he hooked the ball past the 'keeper. Jardel missed an open goal early in the second half. Capucho ran onto a loose ball in his own half, received a delicious return pass from Deco, rounded Postulka and tapped into an empty net. Sparta Prague broke from a corner, Rosicky released Lokvenc with a beautiful pass with the outside of his foot and he ran 40yds before slotting under Baia's legs. Jardel missed another open goal, old man Rui Barros (yes he's still playing) wasted another great chance. Lokvenc almost snapped the post in half with a fantastic volley. #99 Baia brilliantly saved Obajdin's volley but weakly punched out the corner, Hornak crossed to the far post and Fukal headed in.

Porto need a point from the last game to be sure of qualification. Sparta need to beat Barca and hope Hertha beat Porto.

Attendance : 27,400


7 MARCH 2000

PORTO 0-2 BARCELONA

Kluivert missed an open goal with a header from Kluivert's cross, Kluivert heads the ball like a girl. Figo shot straight at Hilaro following a great move and then pathetically went down in the box after Peixe flicked his ear. Abelardo gave Barca a deserved lead from Figo's corner. Jardel headed on a deep cross, Ruben's Junior, with his back to goal, pulled down the ball and fired a shot at goal but Hesp tipped over the bar.

Rivaldo passed it in a free kick, it was hit that slow. Hesp made an excellent save from a fierce shot by Domingos, easily Porto's best chance of the match.

Attendance : 45,000


1 MARCH 2000

BARCELONA 4-2 PORTO

Jardel helped on a ball in midfield to Secretario and continued his run into the box, Secretario played the ball wide to Esquerdinha and Jardel met his fabulous cross with an awesome diving header, 1-0. Rivaldo equalised with a free kick, maybe Baia could have saved it but Hilario had no chance. Frank de Boer powered in a header from Figo's corner. Hesp made a phenomenal save from Esquerdinha's wickedly dipping free kick. Domingos ran onto a brilliant ball from Jardel, sent Gaurdiola on his arse and chipped horribly over from close range. Frank De Boer picked out Kluivert with a huge pass over the top and he held off Jorge Costa to bundle in Barca's third.

Figo's cross bounced off the inside of a post. Porto had claims for a penalty turned down when Hesp collided with Jardel. Jardel back heeled for Esquerdinha, broke into the box and once again headed in from Esquerdinha's perfect cross. Domingos wasted another guilt edged chance, heading wide from a Drulovic free kick. Rivaldo raced onto a Cocu through ball, humiliated Aloisio with an quick change of feet, dumped Hilario on his arse with a fantastic dummy and tapped into an empty net.

Kluivert came in for some fearful abuse from the Porto defenders who really have had a man sent off, Aloisio in particular guilty of some criminal fouls.

Attendance : 68,000


8 DECEMBER 1999

BARCELONA 5-0 SPARTA PRAGUE

Hasek picked up yellow cards for fouls from behind on Cocu. Kluivert held off a challenge from Bolf to blast Barcelona into the lead. Rosicky was booked for diving in the box. A fantastic finish from Luis Enrique on the stroke of half time, with his back to goal he spun and rolled the ball around to face goal and poked his shot past Postulka. Hard to describe but a great goal.

Guardiola curled in a free kick awarded for a foul on Rivaldo. Kluivert grabbed his second with a crisp finish from Frank de Boer's pass and Luis Enrique was left with a gift thanks to fantastic juggling by Reiziger (no, really) he lifted the ball over his held and then shamed the defender with a header to the side and crossed into the box.

Red Card : Hasek 38 (Sparta Prague)
Attendance : 65,000


23 NOVEMBER 1999

HERTHA BERLIN 1-1 BARCELONA

To say the fog was thick is an understatement. This match was simply un-watchable. Luis Enrique headed in from a corner. Michalke equalised with a superb first time strike from Daei's pass. Hesp made two outstanding saves from headers.

Attendance : 65,000


SPARTA PRAGUE 0-2 PORTO

Sionko's cross clipped off Baranek's heels and Rosicky, typically after I had been building him up all week, shot miserably wide with the goal begging. From a thrown in Capucho's shot took a minor deflection off Garbriel's hands, off the inside of the post and safely to the 'keeper. Another terrible miss from the home side minutes later with Sionko blazed over the bar after the ball took a deflection off Baranek. Yet another horrid miss, Deco from a beautifully weighted pass from Jardel. They combined again, Deco ran from the half way line and made his way to goal, waited for the 'keeper to come out and .. shot high and wide.

Deco finally got a shot on target but Postulka put it behind for a corner. Gabriel made a fantastic goal saving tackle as Rubens Junior was about to pull the trigger. Drulovic came on for Rubens Junior and turned the game in Porto's favour but not before Hornak smashed a shot into the side netting. Drulovic tapped in from close range after the Sparta defence failed to cut out a cross and it was the same story for the second goal as Gabriel decided to back heel a pass leaving Jardel with a tap-in. BTW, Baia's shirt number is 99, what's up with that?

Attendance : 14,625