Barcelona thrash Royal Antwerp 5-0 with Felix double
Barcelona thrash Royal Antwerp 5-0 with Felix double
BARCELONA, Spain, September 19 (Xinhua) -- Barcelona scored twice in its UEFA Champions League Group H opener on Tuesday to beat Royal Antwerp 5-0 at Olympique Luis.
After consecutive group stage exits, Barca put on a football masterclass for debutant Antwerp, with goals from Felix, Lewandowski and Garvey as they dominated possession with quick passing .
"Between this win and Saturday's 5-0 win over Betis, I think this is probably the best quality of play we've shown since I took over," coach Xavi Hernandez said.
"That's the path we want to go. This team makes me proud."
At the last minute, new aid Felix scored for the first time in the 11th minute with a low shot at the near post, opening the scoring for the home team.
The Portuguese doubled the lead eight minutes later when he set up Lewandowski in the penalty area. The Polish forward became the third player to score 100 goals in European competitions, after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
After 22 minutes, Rafinha's shot from a small angle blocked defender Jelle Bataille's defense, resulting in an own goal and helping the five-time European champions make it 3-0.
Winger Albuno Muggia had a chance to give the visitors a glimmer of hope before half-time, but his low shot from the edge of the area was saved by goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Barca came back after the break determined to extend their lead in the Champions League group stage for the 28th time, a record held by Real Madrid.
Garvey didn't have to wait long to make it 4-0, firing the ball into the roof of the net before Felix added another with a header, ending a run of losses at Barcelona's temporary home during the rebuilding of the Camp Nou stadium.
Barca's dominance was reflected in 22 shots on goal compared to just three for Antwerp, who competed in the Champions League last season after winning the domestic title for more than 60 years.
This is Belgium's fifth consecutive season in Europe and their second in the continent's top club competition following the 1957/58 European Championship.
"(Barcelona's) first three shots were three goals for them," Antwerp coach Mark van Bommel said.
"You're on top of the world. It makes sense, they keep playing and knocking and turning and that's where we need to be but we're a long way from that but there's no shame in that .This is a very important learning moment for us."
In the other Group H game, Porto beat Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 in Hamburg.
Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Ken Ferris and Claire Fallon
