Adriano seals Barca win over Valencia

LA LIGA RESULTS

 

Saturday, September 1
Celta Vigo	2-0	Osasuna
Zaragoza	0-1	Malaga
Deportivo	1-1	Getafe
Mallorca	1-0	Sociedad
Sunday, September 2
Vallecano	0-0	Sevilla
Athletic Club	2-0	Valladolid
Levante	3-2	Espanyol
Real Madrid	3-0	Granada
Barcelona	1-0	Valencia
More: La Liga| Standings|Stats

Barcelona retained the only perfect record in the Primera Division with a fine strike by Adriano enough to beat Valencia 1-0 on Sunday.

Barca, beaten by rivals Real Madrid in the Supercopa, could have beaten Manuel Pellegrino's side by more goals had Cesc Fabregas not failed to take two good chances.

Tito Vilanova almost saw his side pay for those missed chances as Roberto Soldado and Victor Ruiz both went close, the latter also having a goal disallowed for offside.

Barcelona had the first chance but when Pedro cut in from the right after eight minutes his left-footed shot was straight at Diego Alves.

But the home side were nearly caught out a couple of minutes later when Soldado curled his shot just wide after bringing down a lofted through ball.

Gerard Pique was booked after his arm caught Jonas on the back of the head as they both challenged for a high ball.

An unmarked Lionel Messi got an effort on target when Dani Alves swung the ball in from the right but Diego Alves was able to push the ball away.

Barcelona took the lead 22 minutes in when Adriano cut in from the left, following a short corner which was played to Lionel Messi, and fired a right foot shot across goal and into the top right corner.

A minute later Pedro nearly extended the lead when he came in at the far post and directed the ball back across goal but Diego Alves saved.

Fabregas had the chance for the second when he was played through into the area but clipped the ball wide across the face of goal, the ball just shaving the far post.

Fabregas should have done better early in the second half but he fired high and wide after good work by Alexis, who forced his way into the area before squaring the ball.

Valencia thought they had levelled on the hour when Victor Ruiz got in at the far post to steer the ball past Victor Valdez from a Tino Costa free-kick, but the effort was disallowed for offside.

SPANISH FLY

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Barcelona dominated for long periods without making the most of their chances and not even Messi could add to their tally.

The Argentinian went on several impressive runs, including one with nine minutes to go which saw him fouled just outside the area, but when he got up to take the free-kick he hit it straight into the Valencia wall.

Barcelona were almost caught out from a corner in injury-time as Victor Ruiz escaped his marker from a corner but headed over from close range.

Jonas then hit an ambitious long-range volley which landed just on top of the Barcelona goal.

But the home side were able to hang on to defeat Valencia, who sit in the bottom four as a result.