It’s not at all what you want to see when you turn on the TV to watch Barcelona play at the Camp Nou, but Wednesday’s Champions League match against Dynamo Kyiv transformed into a goalkeepers’ duel between the returning Marc-André ter Stegen (six saves) and 18-year-old Ruslan Neshcheret (11 saves).
With Lionel Messi still unable to score from open play and Antoine Griezmann unable to score by any definition of the word, Barcelona’s 2-1 victory was narrowly achieved but ultimately retains the club’s 100 percent record in Group G.
Dynamo’s night was already looking dicey after an outbreak of COVID-19 forced five changes to the side that drew with Ferencváros, and we looked set for a bloodbath after Messi earned and converted a penalty in the fifth minute.
The 33-year-old now has four goals in nine appearances this season, but each one is from the penalty spot.
¡Gooooooooooool del Barcelona!
Lionel Messi hace bueno el penal y pone rápido en ventaja a los culés. @FCBarcelona_es 1-0 @DynamoKyiv#UCL | #Barcelona | #DynamoEn vivo
TUDN
Síguelo aquí https://t.co/6AMQKiaPG1 pic.twitter.com/2B9SJeqp5F— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 4, 2020
Barcelona should’ve made it two over the course of the next 10 minutes, but Pedri smashed one against the crossbar, Neshcheret denied both Messi and Ansu Fati and Griezmann swiped a shot into the side-netting from a few yards out with the goal at his mercy.
Dynamo threatened to punish Barça’s wastefulness from there, but Ter Stegen returned from his long injury-layoff like a man possessed.
¡Qué atajadón de Ter Stegen!
El arquero del Barcelona está de vuelta tras perderse 11 partidos. ¿El mejor del mundo? @FCBarcelona_es 1-0 @DynamoKyiv#UCL | #Barcelona | #DynamoEn vivo
TUDN
Síguelo aquí https://t.co/6AMQKiaPG1 pic.twitter.com/8cn5XCCkZr— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 4, 2020
¡Otra vez Ter Stegen!
El arquero alemán vuelve a salvar al Barcelona. ¡Increíble el nivel con el que volvió! @FCBarcelona_es 1-0 @DynamoKyiv#UCL | #Barcelona | #DynamoEn vivo
TUDN
Síguelo aquí https://t.co/6AMQKiaPG1 pic.twitter.com/Q3N6Px1s7M— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 4, 2020
No, no, no, no...
En vivo
TUDN
Síguelo aquí https://t.co/6AMQKiaPG1 pic.twitter.com/hpSK2Vnkdj— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 4, 2020
Although the teenaged Neshcheret matched his heroics, especially on this Messi free kick.
¡Woooooow!
Nescheret le acaba de sacar un golazo a Messi. Un día le contará a sus nietos que con 18 años hizo esto en el Camp Nou. @FCBarcelona_es 1-0 @DynamoKyiv#UCL | #Barcelona | #DynamoEn vivo
TUDN
Síguelo aquí https://t.co/6AMQKiaPG1 pic.twitter.com/xAdYYpS0Bu— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 4, 2020
Barcelona finally worked some breathing room in the 65th minute after Fati clipped a cross onto Gerard Piqué’s head.
¡Gooooooooooooool del Barcelona!
Piqué remató como delantero matón en el área y le da un respiro al equipo culé que ya estaba sufriendo el juego. @FCBarcelona_es 2-0 @DynamoKyiv#UCL | #Barcelona | #DynamoEn vivo
TUDN
Síguelo aquí https://t.co/6AMQKiaPG1 pic.twitter.com/DAFmSH3TBc— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 4, 2020
But Dynamo got a deserved goal in the 75th through Viktor Tsyhankov.
¡Goooooool del Dynamo!
El equipo ucraniano hace su merecido gol pese a otra atajada espectacular de Ter Stegen. @FCBarcelona_es 2-0 @DynamoKyiv#UCL | #Barcelona | #DynamoEn vivo
TUDN
Síguelo aquí https://t.co/6AMQKiaPG1 pic.twitter.com/XOcyRIpKFP— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 4, 2020
Sergiño Dest went the full 90 minutes at left back and looked good going forward but less good tracking back.
Ronald Koeman will emphasize the three points, but the defense still looks suspect and Griezmann is nothing more than a number when he’s out there.
