Messi’s 90th minute penalty give Barcelona win over Leganes

Lionel Messi scored a 90th-minute penalty for his second goal of the night to give Barcelona a 2-1 win over lowly Leganes in the Spanish league on Sunday.

Messi’s spot-kick, following a questionable penalty after Neymar tumbled in the area, saved Barcelona from a second demoralizing result this week after a 4-0 loss at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Leganes was clinging to a well-deserved point when Neymar stumbled over Martin Mantovani in the area. The contact was enough to secure a penalty spot and Messi’s league-leading 19th goal of the season.

The match at Camp Nou started well for the hosts, when Messi tapped in Luis Suarez’s cross after just four minutes.

But Leganes, a modest club from Madrid that was promoted last season, never lost its poise and threatened whenever it emerged from defending its area.

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to make four saves of goal-bound strikes before Leganes’s Unai Lopez got the equalizer in the 71st.

FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Leganes at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
FC Barcelona’s Neymar, center left, in action during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Leganes at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Advertisements