No points from the trip to the Pyrenees. Barça Atlètic have lost their first road trip of the season in a game where all three goals came in the chaotic final minutes.
Tight start
After a header skimmed Diego Kochen’s post, the team were living dangerously against a side that dropped out of the second tier last season. But after a nervous start, with Kochen saving the day with some stupendous saves, the visitors started to settle into things more and more.
Unai Hernandez led the improvement but the more Barça pushed forward, the more Andorra were able to exploit the spaces left behind and worry the blaugrana defence. But lively as the game was, the goals didn’t come until the thrilling but ultimately disappointing climax.
Goals each end
Álvaro Peña powered in an astonishing strike with a quarter of an hour to go. Nothing the defence of American goalkeeper could do to stop that. Albert Sánchez adjusted to a more attacking format to get his side back into the game, including Víctor Barberà in his first appearance since a year on loan to Bruges. The gambit paid off because Óscar Ureña with a long-range shot helped in by a deflection levelled the scores with eight minutes still to play.
Agonising
But the joy only lasted three minutes. Álvaro Martín finished off a fine Andorran move down the left and the home side were in command for the second time. Again Barça battled hard to conjure up a response, but there was no second time and after two games, the team has yet to earn its first win.
MATCH STATS
Andorra: 2
Barça Atlètic: 1
Andorra: Ratti; Clemente, Trigueros, Alende, Vilà; Molina, Peña (Ndiaye 85′), Redondo (Solis 68′); Cerdà, Almpanis (Álvaro Martín 85′) & Lauti (Manu Nieto 62′).
Barça Atlètic: Kochen; Farré (Espart 58′), Olmedo, Cuenca, Edu Sánchez (Trilli 85′); Pau Prim, Guillermo, Pedro Rodríguez (Barberà 75′); Unai Hernández, Ureña & Piera (Juan Hernández 65′).
Goals: 1-0, Álvaro Peña (min. 75), 1-1; Óscar Ureña (min. 82); 2-1, Álvaro Martín (min. 86)