Royal Antwerp vs Barcelona score, result, highlights: Barca punished for mistakes in Champions League
Having already qualified for the Champions League knockout stage, Barcelona were undone by a teenager reportedly auditioning for the club, falling in a 3-2 thriller to Royal Antwerp in Belgium to close out Group H play.
With a largely second-choice lineup deployed by Xavi, Barcelona conceded a dreadful goal just over a minute into the match. Goalkeeper Inaki Pena made an error in possession, which 18-year-old Arthur Vermeeren, who's been linked with a move to Barcelona of late, punished well.
Royal Antwerp battled hard throughout the first half but were pegged back after the half-hour mark by an exquisite Barcelona counter run by young academy product Lamine Yamal and finished by Ferran Torres. Yet the Catalan side would be punished for another mistake shortly after the break, as Oriol Romeu's error in possession would see Vincent Janssen produce the second for the hosts on 56 minutes.
Barcelona pushed for a second equaliser after the break, but they were matched by Mark van Bommel's hosts who took the punches in stride and returned every blow to their opponents of equal measure. That was true as the match reached stoppage time, as Marc Guiu's 91st-minute goal only brought Barcelona level for two minutes, with 17-year-old George Ilenikhena giving the Belgian hosts the win just moments after play resumed.
Ex-Man City ball boy Micah Hamilton scores on debut in Champions League play
Kickoff: 9 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. UK)
Location: Bosuilstadion (Antwerp, Belgium)
Referee: Marco Guida (ITA)
Starting lineups:
Royal Antwerp (4-5-1, right to left): 1. Butez (GK) — 2. De Laet (van den Bosch, 90'), 23. Alderweireld, 44. Coulibaly, 5. Wijndal — 7. Kerk (Bataille, 69'), 27. Keita, 48. Vermeeren, 8. Yusuf, 19. Ejudke — 18.
Read on sportingnews.com
