Barcelona extend Primera Division lead with emphatic 7-0 victory over Eibar
By Ali Rampling
Barcelona maintained their immaculate 2021/22 Primera Division record with a thumping victory over Eibar on Sunday afternoon.
It was an electric first half performance from the European champions, who found themselves 5-0 up within 27 minutes.
Six different players were on the scoresheet for the European champions, as they extended their lead at the Primera Division summit to 16 points after second place Real Sociedad were held to a draw by Atletico Madrid.
Marta Torrejon gave Barcelona the lead inside seven minutes as her cleanly struck volley flew in off the underside of the bar.
Within three minutes Claudia Pina had headed Leila Ouahabi's cross from the left flank into the top corner to double the hosts' advantage.
Torrejon grabbed her second and Barcelona's third on the 15 minute mark, prodding home from close range.
With the first half barely 20 minutes old, Mapi Leon got in on the act as Barcelona added a fourth, the centre back picking up the pieces following a well worked set piece to sweep home.
Eibar again failed to clear their lines in the build up to Barcelona's fifth, and Ouahabi was the beneficiary. The left back slammed a powerful volley past the helpless Amaia Pena.
There was no let up from Barcelona in the early stages of the second half. Melanie Serrano made it six in the 52nd minute, tucking home the lively Caroline Graham Hansen's low cross.
Pena in the Eibar goal pulled off two superb saves to deny Asisat Oshoala and Jenni Hermoso, before Barcelona finally netted their seventh three minutes from time. Substitute Aitana Bonmati swept the ball into the bottom corner from close range to conclude the scoring.
The victory maintains Barcelona's perfect start to the Primera Division season. The European champions have won 20 from 20 in the top flight during the 2021/22 campaign, scoring a staggering 113 and conceding just five.
They sit 16 points clear of second place Real Sociedad - who were held to a 2-2 draw by third place Atletico Madrid earlier on Sunday - as they continue to march towards their third successive league title.