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.