Messi double as Barca beat nine-man Espanyol in Cup

Friday, 8 January 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Lionel Messi struck a spectacular free kick, scored another goal and set up two more in a 4-1 victory for Barcelona over nine-man city rivals Espanyol in the first leg of their King’s Cup last-16 clash on Wednesday.

A second-string Atletico Madrid side secured a 1-1 draw at neighbours Rayo Vallecano, striker Saul Niguez equalising in the second half for the La Liga leaders.

Argentine Messi slotted home after 13 minutes for Barca following Felipe Caicedo’s opener for Espanyol and he struck a 30-yard free kick before halftime that went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Espanyol held Barca to a 0-0 draw at home last Saturday in La Liga but the Cup holders were much more threatening this time.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.