Barcelona end Anoeta curse as Neymar penalty hands them Copa advantage

Barcelona have the advantage in their Copa del Rey tie with Real Sociedad after ending their Anoeta curse with a narrow 1-0 win on Thursday. 

Neymar scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in a scrappy encounter in freezing conditions in San Sebastian as Barça beat La Real away from home for the first time since 2007. 

There have been plenty of defeats since then. There has also been the odd draw, such as when the two sides met in the league in November. 

Luis Enrique admitted after that game -- and again before this cup tie -- that Eusebio's side deserved much more on that occasion and they may feel hard done by to have lost this match. 

The home side started quickly, perhaps looking to replicate the fast and furious first half they produced two months ago, and had a penalty appeal rightly turned down in the first minute. 

Balls were lumped into the box, too, in a frantic opening five minutes, but Barça soon took the sting out of the game, with Andres Iniesta, who started alongside Ivan Rakitic in midfield, in good form. 

What proved the game's decisive moment arrived in the 21st minute. Neymar's pace carried him into the box and when he cut back he was clipped by Aritz Elustondo.

Lionel Messi handed spot kick duties to the Brazilian, who duly dispatched after a stuttered run up.

Messi was then booked for time wasting and he ended the first half furious with the way the referee had allowed La Real players to foul him. 

Neymar had chances to wrap the game up in the second half, but Barça, who removed Iniesta at half time as a precaution after he felt some discomfort, were on the back foot for large parts of the second period. 

Jasper Cillessen -- who impressed in goal -- had little to do in terms of real saves, but what he did with his feet he did excellently. 

A dive -- when he had been caught by Geronimo Rulli -- saw Neymar join Messi in the book and La Real would later want second bookings for both player. It would have been harsh in both cases, though. 

Asier Illarramendi headed over late on but there was no late goal and Barça will take a slim advantage into next week's quarter-final second leg at Camp Nou.