Barça up and running in UEFA Youth League with easy Apoel victory
Barcelona's teenagers scored two goals in the first 180 seconds of their UEFA Youth League match against Apoel Nicosia on Tuesday evening as they began the defence of their trophy in fine form.
Munir El Haddadi shone in last season's final against Benfica, but it was another crop of attacking talent giving Apoel's defenders a rough time in the early stages of the meeting at the Mini Estadi.
Isaac Padilla scored the opener, but it was all about the midfield duo of Wilfrid Kaptoum and Enguene - both of whom are from Cameroon - in the build up to the goal.
Enguene took a quick free kick, before roaming into the box where he met Kaptoum's lofted pass, cushioning the ball into the path of Padilla, who couldn't miss.
Immediately from the restart, Barça doubled their lead.
Winger Moha forced a mistake out of Rafael Anastasiou and was left with the simplest of finishes. And when Juanma Garcia headed in an Aitor Cantalapiedra set piece after 18 minutes, few would have predicted the match would end 3-0.
That is how it did end, however, as Barça's youngsters took their foot of the gas and proceeded to pass the ball around in no rush for the next 70 minutes.
Wearing the No. 10 shirt, Enguene was particularly bright. The midfielder's first touch was deceptively good; it was nearly impossible to tell which way he was going to twist and turn.
His midfield partner Kaptoum was also impressive, while Sergi Palencia, who took the armband from Xavi Quinitilla in the second half, excelled as both a right-back and a full-back.
Paris Saint-Germain and Ajax represent tougher tasks, but Barça have laid their stall out as the team to beat in this competition once again.
Match details:
Barcelona: Onana; Palencia, Juanma, Quinti (Arjona 46’), Tarin, Aitor, Enguene, Moha, Padilla (Carbonell 68’), Kaptoum (Corredera 56’), Ros.
Apoel Nicosia: Tasouris; Psaltis, Aretas (Foivos 70’), Anastasiou, A.Charalambous (Chistodoulides 90’), Christodoulou, D.Charalambous, Assiotis, Papakonstantinou (Xydas 66’), Kallis.
Goals: 1-0 M. 2 Padilla, 2-0 M. 3 Moha, 3-0 M. 17 Juanma.
Referee: Bart Vertenten (Belgium).
