IYHWrestling.com | WithoutYourHead.com

Welcome to In Your Head! Wrestling podcast, news and community!

BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona lost its second straight game without injured star Lionel Messi when Athletic Bilbao handed the de

Posted in IYH Forums by jokergreen0220 at 07:56, Feb 06 2017

BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona lost its second straight game without injured star Lionel Messi when Athletic Bilbao handed the defending Spanish league champions a 1-0 loss Sunday at San Mames. Wholesale Bengals Jerseys Authentic . Forward Iker Muniain scored the winner in the 70th minute after Bilbaos incessant pressure recovered the ball and sparked a counterattack inside Barcelonas half. Neymar was once again tagged to pick up Messis goal-scoring duties, but when he wasnt frustrated by slippery footing Bilbaos defence got the better of him. Barcelona was left level on points with Atletico Madrid and three points ahead of Real Madrid after both title rivals won on Saturday. Barcelonas first defeat in the domestic league following 13 wins and one draw came five days after it lost 2-1 at 10-man Ajax in the Champions League. Barcelona hadnt suffered consecutive defeats since March. "When you lose there are always doubts and questions that arise, but one game had nothing to do with the other," Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta said. "We have to correct our mistakes. Its a loss. That can happen. We shouldnt see it any other way." Gerardo Martinos team has won once and lost twice since Messi suffered a left hamstring injury that will likely keep him out until January. And while Barcelona sputters, Atletico and Madrid keep on churning out wins. "This team isnt used to losing two consecutive games," Martino said. "And we came here with the intention of rebounding from the first loss, so its a shame not to win after we did enough to deserve it. Until Bilbao scored we were the better side, controlling the ball and creating chances for long stretches. After their goal it was a different game." Also on Sunday, Valencia beat 10-man Osasuna 3-0, Sevilla won 2-1 at Granada, and Rayo Vallecano drew 2-2 at Real Betis. The match was billed as perhaps the toughest test of the season for Barcelona coming off its first setback in 21 games and without the injured Messi, goalkeeper Victor Valdes, and defenders Dani Alves, Carles Puyol and Jordi Alba. And so it proved to be as Bilbao stayed undefeated in seven games at its new San Mames Stadium. The victory lifted it into fourth place and in the final Champions League spot. Like so many times in past meetings between the Basque and Catalan clubs, the pace remained frenetic and intense with the ball constantly changing sides until Bilbao took charge late as Barcelona faded after falling behind. "I think we played a complete game from start to finish. I am very happy to have done my part to get the win by scoring the goal," said the 20-year-old Muniain, who added that Bilbao was aided by the fact that Barcelona had played a game midweek and arrived with wearier legs. Early on, Barcelona coolly worked its way through Bilbaos pressure and just past the 10-minute mark deployed a number of one-touch passes in a series of attacks that went unrewarded. Neymar first had his strike palmed over the bar by Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz in the 12th before Iniesta spoiled a back-heeled flip by Sergio Busquets by firing wide. Then it was Bilbaos turn and Muniain had a golden chance to put the hosts ahead in the 29th, but he barely made contact on a deflected cross that reached him with only goalie Jose Pinto to beat. Barcelona looked to hit Bilbao on the break, but Neymar slipped several times while trying to dribble and had to change his shoes in the 34th. The new boots still didnt help the Brazil striker in the 50th when he wasted Cesc Fabregas pass by sailing his shot high, and his frustration at Carlos Gurpeguis marking boiled over and soon earned Neymar a yellow card when he retaliated. Neymar then drew a foul from Andre Iturraspe when he tackled the Brazilian from behind with only Iraizoz left. Barcelona clamoured for a red card, but the referee settled for yellow. Neymar curled the resulting free kick by the near post in the 59th. Bilbao kept up its pressure and it finally paid off when Ander Herrera stole the ball and passed to Markel Susaeta who crossed for the streaking Muniain to stab in the goal before Barcelona could recover in defence. Barcelona never threatened to equalize, and Bilbao striker Gaizka Toquero almost added a second goal when he headed into the body of Pinto in the 74th. "We said all week that we would play with the same intensity as always," Toquero said. "We pressured them well, stole a good number of balls and didnt let them play their game." Valencia forward Jonas scored a hat trick after Osasuna saw Patxi Punal sent off with a direct red for a low tackle on Dani Parejo. Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca scored one goal and set up Kevin Gameiros 86th-minute winner. Rayos Alberto Bueno scored a brace to help his team escape the relegation zone with the draw that kept Betis in last place. Bengals Jerseys China . Roy says he will know more about Duchenes potential playing status Sunday. Duchene has been out since damaging the MCL in his left knee when he ran into a teammate against San Jose on March 29. Hes been skating on his own all week, before joining the team Saturday hours before a pivotal game in a series tied at 2. Cheap Bengals Jerseys China . The two-time Olympic halfpipe gold medallist informed ESPN on Monday he plans to compete in Apsen, Colo. http://www.cheapbengalsjerseysauthentic.com/ . Head coach Corey Chamblin announced on Monday that Avon Cobourne had been hired as the defending Grey Cup champions new running backs coach.BOSTON -- With both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook sitting out for the first time since the franchise set up shop in Oklahoma City, the Thunder needed about a half to figure things out. And then the Western Conference leaders put the lottery-bound Boston Celtics away. "We take pride in playing hard no matter whos on the floor," coach Scott Brooks said after his team went on a 17-2 third-quarter run to beat Boston 101-83 on Friday night. "Obviously, were a better team with Kevin and Russell. But it doesnt make us not a team." Durant, the NBA scoring leader, missed his first game of the season, joining fellow All-Star Westbrook on the bench. That was only a minor setback, with Serge Ibaka scoring nine of his 21 points and adding five rebounds in the pivotal third quarter to lead Oklahoma City to its sixth straight victory. Jeremy Lamb came off the bench to score 19 points, and Reggie Jackson had 14 points and eight assists. "Everybodys just got to do their job a little bit better and a little bit harder," said Thunder centre Kendrick Perkins, a former Celtic, who had nine rebounds. "Its our first time playing without both of them, so it was good." Durant was the franchises first pick in 2007, its final year as the Seattle SuperSonics, and Westbrook was their first-round pick after the team moved to Oklahoma City for the following season. Together, they led the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals and were poised for another deep run last year before Westbrook was injured in the first round series against Houston. Oklahoma City has managed to stay atop the West with Westbrook out since Christmas to recover from right knee surgery. And Durant has been the reason, going on a scoring tear with at least 30 points in nine consecutive games before sitting out Friday night. But DDurant watched this one from the bench in warmups, then was icing his right shoulder in the locker room after the game, joking around with Westbrook. Cheap Anthony Munoz Jersey. "Theyre a good team without him -- as you can see," Celtics guard Phil Pressey said. Brooks said he did not know if his star would return on Saturday night against Philadelphia. "Well see how he wakes up," the coach said. Jeff Green scored 16 points and Gerald Wallace scored 12 of his 13 points in the first half, before the Thunder pulled away with a 17-2 run in the third quarter. Rajon Rondo had eight assists and five points in his fifth game since returning from reconstructive knee surgery. The Celtics have lost 13 of 15 games. "Theyre down Kevin Durant, and I think their team is thinking OK, this is an opportunity for a lot of guys that dont play as much when hes playing minutes," Celtics centre Kris Humphries said. "Something happened. You guys all saw the game. It wasnt great. Thanks for staying for the whole game." The Thunder allowed the Celtics to open a five-point lead early in the second quarter but then scored 18 of the next 22 points to take a nine-point lead. It was a two-point game after Boston scored the first basket of the second half, but Oklahoma City opened a 60-53 lead and then scored 17 of the next 19 points. In all, Oklahoma City outscored the Celtics 27-13 in the third. Notes: Rondo became the sixth player in Celtics history to reach the 4,000-assist plateau. Bill Russell is next, with 4,100. ... The Thunder have the best record in Western Conference and are 6-0 on the road against Eastern Conference teams. They will try to remain perfect Saturday at Philadelphia... Celtics F Jared Sullinger dislocated his right index finger in the first half but returned to the game. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China https://www.cheapnfljerseyschina.com/" class="TyTxtSmlC">Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys https://www.cheapjerseysfreest.com/" class="TyTxtSmlC">Cheap Jerseys ' ' '

Quick Reply

Sorry, commenting is currently disabled.

IYH ON FACEBOOK
Follow IYH on Twitter Subscribe to IYH on iTunes
Upcoming Events

Date

Event