03/15/26 01:24:00
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03/15 13:23 CDT Hat trick for Raphinha as Barcelona beats Sevilla 5-2 to stay 4
points clear of Madrid
Hat trick for Raphinha as Barcelona beats Sevilla 5-2 to stay 4 points clear of
Madrid
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) --- Raphinha scored a hat trick, including two goals from
the penalty spot, as Barcelona reclaimed its four-point lead over Real Madrid
at the top of the Spanish league on Sunday.
Barcelona routed Sevilla 5-2 for its fourth straight league win and boosted its
confidence ahead of the second leg of its Champions League last 16 match
against Newcastle on Wednesday. Barcelona needed Lamine Yamal's penalty with
the last kick of the game to rescue a 1-1 draw at Newcastle in the first leg.
Madrid beat Elche 4-1 on Saturday to temporarily cut Barcelona's lead to one
point.
After Portugal defender Joao Cancelo was fouled in the box, Raphinha put the
Catalan side ahead in the ninth minute with a little dink of a shot known as a
"Panenka," which fooled goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Cancelo, who returned to Barcelona this winter on loan from Saudi Arabia club
Al-Hilal, earned another penalty in the 18th and Raphinha again converted.
Vlachodimos read the shot well and managed to touch the ball but could not stop
it.
Dani Olmo made it 3-0 in the 38th minute from Marc Bernal's cross.
Oso pulled one back for Sevilla before halftime and Raphinha completed his hat
trick after the interval with a shot that took a deflection and went over the
'keeper. Cancelo then added more luster to the win, with Djibril Sow reducing
the gap in added time.
Elsewhere, Mallorca came from behind to beat Espanyol 2-1.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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