It wasn't pretty, but Barcelona got the job done in a Champions League contest with PSV Eindhoven, prevailing 2-1 to clinch the top spot in Group B heading into the knockout stage.
Barça, who came into the contest on Wednesday without a win in their three previous matches, struggled to find their footing. PSV were the more threatening side in the first half, reports Efe news.
The wood-work saved Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen on multiple occasions during the first 45 minutes.
The half hour mark signaled the start of a strong 10 minutes for the visitors thanks to the efforts of Lionel Messi and Arturo Vidal, and PSV keeper Jeroen Zoet needed his defenders to bail him out more than once.
The hosts generated a pair of chances in the first 15 minutes of the second period before Messi put Barcelona ahead 1-0 in the 61st minute after cutting a swath through the PSV defence.
Less than 10 minutes later the margin increased to 2-0 after Gerard Pique redirected a Messi free kick past Zoet.
But PSV battled on to cut the deficit to 2-1 with five minutes left on a goal by team captain Luuk de Jong.
--IANS
gau/mr
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