Barcelona: Pinto; Dani Alves, Puyol,
Piqué, Abidal; Busquets, Mascherano, Maxwell (Xavi 73'); Messi, David
Villa (Pedro 73'), Iniesta (Keita 89'). 4-3-3.
Copenhagen:
Wiland; Pospech, Zanka Jorgensen, Antonsson, Wendt (Peter Larsson
88'); Vingaard (Bolaños 62'), Kvist, Claudemir, Gronkjaer; N'Doye,
Santin (Zohore 74'). 4-4-2.
Goals:
1-0. 19. Messi. Picked up Iniesta square pass and
curled shot wide of Wiland.
2-0. 92. Messi. Controlled Abidal cross and
rolled ball in to net from close up.
Barcelona beat Copenhagen 2-0 in their third group match to end the day at the top of the group. It was not a comfortable victory though, and it was only in the second minute of injury time that Messi wrapped things up with his second goal of the evening.
The Danish side came in to the tie with two wins under their belts, and they put up a good defensive performance to deny Guardiola's team what was expected to be an easy win. The locals did most of the attacking though, with Villa chipping a shot against the bar before Messi picked up Iniesta's square pass to curl a shot wide of the keeper.
Villa and Messi had strikes disallowed for offside and Wiland made a couple of good saves from Villa before the break. But Santin could have scored when he suddenly pulled up when free on goal, reportedly as he heard a whistle from somewhere (apparently Barça keeper Pinto?), and the Brazilian forward somehow headed wide with the goal at his mercy after a shot from N'Doye came back off the bar after the restart.
Barça hardly created any chances however in the second half until Dani Alves fired a shot against the foot of the post, but with the game in time-added-on Messi was there to turn the ball in to the net after Abidal scuffed his shot. Ah well, it's the result that counts in the end!