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| Nou Camp Comeback Sends Barca Through to Semis Reuters
BARCELONA, April 9 – Barcelona edged past Panathinaikos and into the semifinals of the Champions League on a 3-2 aggregate on Tuesday, a Luis Enrique double and a cool Javier Saviola finish earning the Catalans a memorable comeback win. Barcelona, trailing 1-0 from the first leg, had their task further complicated in the eighth minute when Michalis Konstantinou muscled past Frank de Boer and powered a 25-metre shot low past Roberto Bonano. That left the Catalans needing three goals to reach the last four and for a while that looked an unlikely target as the massed ranks of Panathinaikos defenders kept them at bay. But Saviola's chip forward set up Luis Enrique for an equaliser on the night on 23 minutes and the Spanish international midfielder headed in from a Rivaldo free-kick five minutes into the second half to make it 2-2 on aggregate. Rivaldo was just wide with two long-range efforts before Saviola got what proved to be the winner just past the hour mark, taking a through-ball from Xavi and sweeping his shot past Antonis Nikopolidis. "We got there by the skin of our teeth," said a relieved Luis Enrique. "It was uphill all the way but in the end we managed it, even though they created a lot of chances towards the end." KLUIVERT OMITTED Despite the first-leg deficit, Barca coach Carles Rexach decided to leave leading scorer Patrick Kluivert on the bench and hand Saviola and Marc Overmars the job of leading the attack. That tactic looked of doubtful wisdom, though, as Konstantinou somehow found his way past De Boer to open the scoring with his precise shot after just eight minutes. Panathinaikos threatened again, as Daniel Saric was put into space after a neat pass from Konstantinou, but his snap shot was blocked by the Philip Cocu. Barca responded with another wave of attacks and eventually pulled level on 23 minutes after Saviola and Luis Enrique combined brilliantly on the right. The young Argentine chipped in a neat pass to his team mate, who controlled with chest before slotting in past Nikopolidis with his right foot. There was no letting up from the Catalans as they pressed forward for a second. Four minutes later Rivaldo let fly with a powerful 20-metre drive but Nikopolidis managed to divert it wide with his outstretched foot. Barca monopolised the possession for the remainder of the half but a series of poor crosses and over-elaborate play on the edge of the area helped the Greek side keep the score at 1-1. RENEWED ASSAULT Rexach threw on Kluivert just before the break and Barca renewed their assault on the Panathinaikos goal as soon as the second half got underway, with Rivaldo and Luis Enrique leading the way yet again. Within two minutes of the restart the Brazilian fired in another fierce drive. Nikopolidis spilled the shot but the advancing Saviola tripped over before he could get to the ball. Barca regained their momentum three minutes later after Luis Enrique took advantage of some slack marking to send a looping header over the keeper and into the net after a Rivaldo free kick. Eleven minutes later Barca made it 3-1 and took an aggregate lead for the first time when Saviola ran on to a neat through-ball from Xavi and clipped into the far corner with a fine shot. The Argentine hit the bar a minute later but Barca could not find a fourth goal to give themselves some breathing space and Panathinaikos gradually started to threaten more. Carles Puyol was forced to clear off the line from Konstantinou eight minutes from time as play was allowed to carry on after Bonano was injured in a challenge with substitute Emmanuel Olisadebe. Bonano was taken off on a stretcher with his neck in a collar, leaving substitute goalkeeper Pepe Reina to withstand an agonising seven minutes of injury-time. There were several close calls for the nervous Barca defence but they held on to set up a semifinal against the winners of the tie between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
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Soccer
