Barcelona 1 - Lokomotiv Moscow 0

Barcelona: Bonano; Puyol, De Boer, Fernando Navarro; Mendieta (Rochemback 66'), Xavi, Cocu, Gabri; Saviola, Riquelme; Kluivert. 3-4-2-1.
Lokomotiv: Ovchinnikov; Pashinin, Evseev, Ignashevitch, Sennikov; Obradovic, Maminov, Loskov, Julio César (Buznikin 83'); Pimenov, Obiorah. 4-4-2.

Goals: 1-0. 76. De Boer. Header from Riquelme free kick which keeper got a hand to.

Group H:
Barcelona.................... 12 points
Club Brugge.................. 5 points
Galatasaray.................. 4 points
Lokomotiv Moscow..... 1 point

Barcelona are the first Spanish side to qualify for the second stage, although they struggled more than expected against the bottom team in their group, Lokomotiv Moscow. Only needing a point from their last three games to go through, Van Gaal brought back Bonano in goal and gave a run out to Riquelme, in part to silence the fans who have been calling for him to be given a chance. With Luis Enrique and Motta injured, Gabri was drafted into the side, and Overmars was amongst the substitutes for the first time in almost six months after a long lay off for injury. Who didn't make the squad though was Patrick Andersson, and after another relapse he may have to undergo an operation which could see him out again for some time.

Barça were on top for most of the first half, but once again could not find a way through to goal. Their only real shot at the target came from Xavi with a quarter of an hour gone, and the more they pushed forward the more gaps they left at the back. Obradovic tested Bonano on one counterattack, and the Argentine keeper made a vital save on the stroke of half time when De Boer failed to control a stray back pass from Cocu leaving Julio César free in front of goal.

Things got worse after the break though, and Obiorah hit the bar with Bonano beaten. Then a few minutes later the Nigerian striker avoided a reckless tackle from the keeper to square up on the edge of the area with only Puyol to beat. However the full back (who later revealed he had played as goalkeeper in his youth) held his ground, lunging to block Obiorah's shot with his chest.

As the game wore on, two things became more and more clear: a) Barça were going to win 1-0 and b) Frank De Boer was going to score. It was one of those games. The Dutch defender had been whistled at throughout the game by the highly critical home crowd, but with quarter of an hour left on the clock he saved the day, forcing a powerful header past Ovchinnikov from close range following a free kick from Riquelme. Even then certain sections of the crowd continued to criticise him.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of the Russians though, and Barça came close to scoring again when Kluivert stepped over Cocu's pass and Saviola rattled the post with a fierce shot. The game finished soon afterwards giving the Catalans their fourth victory in a row, and after Brugge beat Galatasaray in the other group match, they are now assured of finishing first in their group. An important win after a bad run of games, but certainly not a return to form.