ANDRES INIESTA’S ILLUSTRIOUS Barcelona career came to an end with a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad at a Camp Nou in celebratory mood.
The 34-year-old had announced in April that he would leave the Catalan giants at the end of the season – just two days before Ernesto Valverde’s side beat Deportivo La Coruna to confirm a 25th LaLiga title.
Played out against that backdrop it was hardly surprising that at times it felt more like a testimonial match rather than the final league game of the season.
Iniesta demonstrated his abundant repertoire in a dominant first-half display, finding his team-mates with an array of precise and inventive passing, something he has done with distinction since his debut in the 2002-03 season.
While the World Cup winner was not involved in the game’s solitary goal, he will have looked on admiringly as Philippe Coutinho whipped in a fine finish from outside the area after 57 minutes.
The curtain eventually came down on Iniesta’s time with Barca in the 81st minute, the midfielder leaving the field to a rapturous reception and handing over the captain’s armband to Lionel Messi in a symbolic gesture.
In a bright, open start it was the visitors who carved out the first clear sight of goal, Willian Jose heading straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen from Adnan Januzaj’s clipped cross.
The Belgian winger then tested Barca’s goalkeeper himself soon after with a whipped effort from outside the penalty area before Iniesta came close to a fairytale goal – his low strike flashing past Miguel Angel Moya’s right-hand post and into the side netting.
A rejuvenated Ousmane Dembele then delivered two fine crosses in quick succession that should have resulted in an opener. First, an unmarked Ivan Rakitic failed to locate the target with a header from 10 yards and then Luis Suarez scuffed a shot wide from the Frenchman’s low ball into the box.
Sociedad were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men moments before the interval when Raul Navas hacked down a marauding Dembele on the right, referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero opting to give the defender just a yellow card.
Barca started the second period with a spring in their step and were rewarded with a goal of the highest calibre from Coutinho.
The Brazilian – who netted a hat-trick in last weekend’s remarkable 5-4 defeat to Levante, a result that ended Barca’s unbeaten record in the league this term – cut in from the left and unleashed a trademark curled finish from 25 yards that crashed in off Moya’s left-hand post.
Messi almost set up a second minutes after his introduction, only for fellow substitute Denis Suarez to shoot too close to Moya, while the Argentine forward could not direct a header beyond the Sociedad goalkeeper from Luis Suarez’s cross.
Iniesta’s long goodbye finally came to an end nine minutes from time when he was replaced by Paco Alcacer, while there was also time for Sociedad to pay tribute to their own legendary midfielder Xabi Prieto, the 34-year-old coming on for the final few minutes ahead of his retirement at the end of the campaign.
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I’m supporting the Boks lads. Let’s hope for one great final
@WillKeepTheW: same it would be amazing to see Kolisi lift the trophy.
@WillKeepTheW: Live:https://tinyurl.com/y68vph5p
@Md Sohan Khan: its on free to air you pair in the arse
@Doire: You’re talking to a bot lad!
Did anyone notice the RTÉ commentators talking about the fantastic weather that has accompanied this tournament. Eh, Typhoon lads?
@Ian Synnott: Live:https://tinyurl.com/y68vph5p
@Ian Synnott: I’m in Japan here for it. Weather has been great one bad typhoon that made landfall. All that was needed was to sit in for a day and safe in the city areas. Walking around in a t shirt at 24 degrees yesterday in Nov
To echo Brian O’Driscoll’s sentiments- I hope expansive entertaining rugby wins. If S.A. try to grind out the attritional bang ‘n bash rugby that we saw in the semi-final I’d prefer to see the Eng v NZ semi-final rugby brand win handsomely. Despite being an old Hibernian I’ve nothing too much against England winning if so be it.
@Md Sohan Khan: alright like go away
@David O Callaghan: in fairness, boks are better team so far
Best of luck South Africa!!!
England all over the shop. The New Zealand match was a one off.
Cmon England
13 point Bok lead with under fifteen minutes left. Wow, didn’t see this scenario. Unbelievable.
@David O Callaghan: Indeed! Clearly Ireland would have clobbered the Boks! Haha!
To think we could have been in the local today cheering on Ireland – according to the media not so long ago :-)
Congrats South Africa
England’s win over New Zealand win was built off a dominant forward display and SA are on top in the pack so far. As long as SA are controlling the pace of the game and where it’s being played England will struggle as the Springboks can just turn the screw with their monster pack and blitz defence. The issue for SA is they were so dominant early doors but haven’t put up scores and they’ve a number of lads struggling with injury already
@Eddie Hekenui: Boks power and defence totally shutting down England so far. They just can’t get a foothold in the game but with their back 3 they’ll only need one chance to turn their fortunes around. Marler making a big impact in the scrum. Koch and Kitshoff aren’t the same power scrummagers so England might be able to right the ship
@Eddie Hekenui: totally out forwarded england also played garces and slowed the ball at every opportunity to prevent eng getting on the front foot. well done sa
Long evening for Dan Cole.
Why do the English always build them selves up to be better than they actually are, a country of bottlers
@dan o keeffe: Ah don’t be bitter. Have a lager for a change.
@dan o keeffe: because they’re English and always think they’re better than everyone else.
@dan o keeffe: Yeah very true, thy should look at Ireland, we never do that.
@dan o keeffe: abit unfair at least they have got to finals and have won a world cup, we are the real bottlers of world cups.
@Bluepoolroad: far from bitter my friend, england losing is nearly better than Ireland winning…..I’m delighted they got destroyed men v boys today
@dan o keeffe: the only thing that built them up was their performances. They were outperformed today
SA Best team by far on the day they were magnificent- Eddie Jones will be very sour now
Another in a long line of teams to have shot the full load in the semifinal.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: I would rather shoot the load all over the place in a semi-final than constantly struggle to get an erection once the group stages finish.
Can’t wait to see the puss of Eddie Jones after this.
@Tim Quigley: Two time loser! Still he humbled NZ, and now RFU! Not bad ;)
There won’t be a cow milked in KwaZulu-Natal tonight
South Africa playing typical cup rugby helped by refeering of the scrum
England in serious bother now
Garces ignores possible forward pass,revenge for Brexit!!
@tom whelan: Did TMO spot it or just you?
YES!!!!!
England by 4
@Coco86:
@Coco86:
@Coco86:
@Coco86:
What a step by Koble!!
This is an abysmal game so far. During the anthems, naturally enough as soon as God save the Queen comes on, I’m saying, come on the Boks. After watching the actual game, I’m desperately hoping England can turn it around but not looking likely. Didn’t realise South Africa have never scored a try in any of their finals, jaysus….
@Michael Garvey: There’s your try. Let’s have a couple from England.
“Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana, ! (we have beaten them all, we have beaten them all!). Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher … your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!”
…good old fashioned Towns Cup rugby is alive and well….
England’s backs are playing poorly. If they can get that right they can still win it in the 2nd half. The South African scrum half is really poor and ponderous. If he was quicker/better South Africa would be already be out of sight
I love it. What a result.
Don’t cancel the victory parade. Just slow it down a bit.