Two late goals give Barcelona 3-0 win over Real Madrid in Soccer Champions Tour

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2023, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (July 29, 2023) As the 82,026 super soccer fans filed into AT&T Stadium on Saturday, afternoon, anyone with a sense for soccer could tell this was going to be a match that would be remembered for a very long time. The event was the Soccer Champions Tour, presented by DIRECTV. FC Barcelona was in town to face La Liga rival Real Madrid FC in a friendly international match. When all the excitement and thrill of the competition was over, Barcelona walked away with a 3-0 win over Madrid.

Barcelona found the back of the net, the first time, in the 15th minute. Forward Ousmane Dembele received the ball on a rebounds of a free kick; skillfully crossing it past Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for the first goal of the match.

Their second goal came 70 minutes later, in the 85th minute when midfielder Fermin Lopez Martin looped in the ball from 6 meters out for the second goal of the game. Six minutes later, in the first minute of added time of the second half, forward Ferran Torres, who came off the bench earlier in the game, found himself and the ball in front of the goal and kicked it in for another insurance score of the match.

The real star of the match, with his great work in front of the net, was Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ler Stegen. In the first half alone, the German stopped four shots on goal and also defected as many as he stopped. In the second half, he continued to keep Madrid scoreless and hinder their chances for their third win in the tour.

The match was very intense, and it was obvious, even though this was an international friendly, both squads wanted to win and put on a fine and exciting exhibition for those in attendance.

Previously in the tour, Barcelona battled to a 2-2 draw against Juventus and fell to Arsenal 5-2. Madrid downed both AC Milan 5-3 and  Manchester United 2-0. Next up for Barcelona is an August 2 matchup against AC Milan at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. Madrid will meet Juventus at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida on August 3.

FC Barcelona Downs Club America 2-0 in WFC

(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (August 6, 2011) In a soccer match, it is necessary to control the ball to win, and that is exactly what FC Barcelona did in the final match of the 2011 World Football Challenge.

FCB stunned Club America, winning the match 2-0 on goals by David Villa and Seydou Keita in front of 60,807 fans at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Barcelona controlled the ball more than 70% of the game, and it appeared that “Águilas” never got into the match.

Villa put Barcelona on the scoreboard in the 24th minute on a nice shot from the front of the goal. He received the ball from Adriano Correia to get his first goal of the tournament.

Barcelona picked up their second goal of the match in the 90th minute when Keita receive a short pass from Gerard Deulofeo inside the box and slid it in for the score.

The match was virtually all Barcelona with the Spaniards having the advantage on shots (15-9), shots on goal (7-4), and corner kicks (8-4).

Barcelona finished the tournament with a 1-2-0 record (3 points) while Club America ends up without a win or tie.