Segunda División: FC Barcelona B 0 - 1 SD Huesca: Match Review

Just over 5 thousand fans at the Mini Estadi saw Barcelona B lose their second consecutive game. The only goal of the game was scored in the first half by Borja Gonzalez, who beat Jordi Masip from close range.

Starting XI: Oier Olazabal; Patric, Sergi Gomez, David Lomban, Ivan Balliu; Ilie Sanchez, Javier Espinosa, Rafinha; Luis Alberto, Joan Angel Roman, Jean Marie Dongou

Bench: Jordi Masip, Frank Bagnack, Sergi Samper, Pol Calvet, Robert Costa, Kiko Femenia, Sergio Araujo

Eusebio was forced to make several changes in the lineup. Marc Muniesa, Gerard Deulofeu and Carles Planas were on international duty with Spain U-21, while Gustavo Ledes, Edgar Ie and Agostinho Ca joined Portugal's underage teams. Sergi Roberto had to miss the game because of an one game suspension. To replace all the missing players Eusebio called up four Juvenil A players who all took their respective places on the bench.

Barcelona B started strong, but as has been the case all season long they struggled to contain opposing counter attacks. The first chance of the game for the visitors came on one such occasion in the 6th minute, but Balliu was able to block the shot on goal.

The first scoring chance for Barcelona came in the 18th minute. Rafinha sent a long pass inside the penalty area, which the visiting defense failed to clear. The ball made it's way to Dongou, but the visiting goalkeeper made an excellent intervention to prevent the opening goal.

Barça continued to dominate possession, but struggled mightily to create any chances, let alone a good ones. Huesca's defense was very organized, and the fact that they at times played with all eleven players inside their 40-yards caused Barcelona problems in play build-up.

And Barcelona were made to pay for their lack of penetration in the 34th minute. Juan Carlos fired a shot from the edge of the box, but hit the crossbar. The ball bounced to Jorge Larena who centered it to a wide open Borja four yards from the goal-line, and from that position he made no mistake. The man responsible for covering Borja, Lomban, was nowhere to be found...

In the 42nd minute, Roman won a free kick in a pretty dangerous position, slightly to left side 20-yards from the goal. Alberto stepped up to take it and fired just inches wide of Luis Garcia's right post. At the stroke of halftime Barcelona had one last chance to level the score in the first half. Alberto made a nice pass to Espinosa in the center of the penalty box, but the midfielder couldn't get a good shot off, and it was easily saved by the keeper.

Barcelona started the second half in a very attacking manner, creating a scoring chance just two minutes in, but Dongou missed the net. Huesca, however, remained dangerous on the counter and Oier had to make a good save on Borja five minutes after the restart. Huesca made a nice play to again set up Borja in the 56th minute, but Gomez made an excellent defensive play to disposes the game's only goalscorer.

For the final 30 minutes of the game Araujo was given a chance to turn the score around, he replaced Roman. The Argentine tried to make immediate impact, but his shot missed the target. Six minutes later Kiko replaced Patric. Upon entering, Kiko positioned himself on the right-back's spot, but he had very few defensive responsibilities, as he stayed in the attacking third nearly the entire time he was one the pitch.

Alberto, after missing earlier, had another chance to beat Garcia from a free kick, after Dongou was brought down on the edge of the box. But the Huesca goalkeeper made a fantastic save to (barely) keep Alberto's effort from crossing the line. Two minutes later Alberto was played behind the defense by Kiko, but he missed the net from close range.

Dongou continued to cause havoc in Huesca's defense and won the home side a penalty kick in the 72nd minute. It was only a slight tug on Dongou by the referee decided it was enough for a penalty. Lomban, the veteran on the team, took responsibility and powered it on goal, but hit the crossbar. The score remained 1-0 in favor of the visitors.

Not discouraged by the missed opportunity, Barcelona continued to press hard toward Huesca's goal. In the 78th the B team created their next scoring chance. Balliu sent a nice cross in from the left side, but Rafinha couldn't steer the header on goal. Two minute later Alberto fired from 22 yards out, but again he saw his attempt saved by Garcia.

In the 89th minute Eusebio completed his last substitution of the game, replacing Espinosa with Calvet, who was making his Barcelona B debut. In added time Araujo received a good cross from Kiko, but his header went wide of the far post. That was Barcelona's last chance to change the score, and for the first time since 9 February Barcelona B were held scoreless.

Barça will look to end this mini skid on Sunday, 31 March, against Recreativo Huelva at the Nuevo Colombino stadium.