Celta Vigo ended their three match losing streak and kept their survival hopes alives with a late equalizer that earned them a 2-2 draw against Barcelona. Lionel Messi appeared to have scored the match winner in the 73rd minute, scoring his 19th straight goal in a league match and it set a unique record as he's now scored against the 19 other teams in the league in consecutive games.
Celta Vigo vs. Barcelona: Final score 2-2, Celta gets a big point, Messi makes history
Lionel Messi’s historic goal looked to have Barcelona on track for the win but a late equalizer by Borja Oubina helped Celta take a critical point off the inevitable champions.
Celta looked lively early and even put the ball in the back of the net in the 11th minute when Augusto Fernández
skillfully finished off a header from Nacho Insa. Fernández was a mile offside though and the officials wasted no time disallowing the goal.
In the 23rd minute Celta fans were sent into a frenzy after contact between Park Chu-Young and Marc Barta just inside the Barcelona area.Feb 2012 Abidal on the bench for the first time. Supporters wanted a penalty but the referee made the right call and punished Chu-Young for the foul.
Excellent goalkeeping from José Manuel Pinto kept Celta off the scoreboard again. Gerard Piqúe made a mess of a clearance attempt and directed the ball right at Pinto who parried it away. The rebound went right to the foot of Borja Oubina whose shot was blocked away by Pinto and out for a corner.
Lionel Messi should have been awarded a penalty in the 30th minute after being kicked twice on a run in towards the Celta goal. He fought through the first challenge but was tripped by the second, however the referee wanted nothing to so with the play and waved away the protest of Messi.
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Celta finally scored what was really a deserved goal in the 38th minute. Barcelona's defense was twisted all out of sorts by some excellent passing but it was Natxo Insa who made the final touch, redirecting Fabián Orellana's pass past Pinto and putting Celta ahead 1-0.
Javi Varas denied Lionel Messi in the 41st minute, making a fantastic diving slow on a low free kick after Messi was taken down just outside the Celta area. Two minutes later Varas could do nothing to deny Cristian Tello who brought down a lovely pass from Messi on the left side of the Celta area and pinged a shot off the post and into the net, tying things up at 1-1 just before the halftime break.
Park Chu-Young had another great chance in the 57th minute, sending Fernandez’s cross just wide of the post
Barcelona took the lead for the first time in the 73rd minute when Cristian Tello sent a low ball across the Celta area from the left side right to Messi who cooly finished the shot and made some more history. It’s Messi 19th straight league match with a goal and he completes the cycle against the league as well.
Celta wasn’t done yet though and equalized in the 88th minute on an exquisite header from Oubina. Orellana got things started with a pinpoint cross that found Oubina free at the far past who put his headed shot past Pinto and pulled Celta back even at 2-2.
Celta move up to 18th pending the result of Mallorca’s match against Depor tomorrow.
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