Two own goals help Barca to secure Catalan derby win
Soccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Aleix Vidal, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi celebrate their second goal scored by Girona's Gorka Iraizoz REUTERS/Albert Gea
MADRID (Reuters) - An own goal either side of the break and a second-half Luis Suarez strike ensured Barcelona maintained their 100percent start to the La Liga season with a comfortable 3-0 victory away to Catalan rivals Girona on Saturday.
With political tension rising in the region following a self-declared referendum on independence from Spain, the first-ever league meeting between the two sides started amid cries of support for the cause, and some fans carried Catalan separatist flags.
Soccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Luis Suarez celebrates scoring their third goal with Lionel Messi and team mates REUTERS/Albert Gea
Barca went ahead after 17 minutes as Girona captain Aday Benitez turned Jordi Alba’s wayward shot into his own goal.
Girona goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz inadvertently turned Aleix Vidal’s backheeled cross into his own goal shortly after the restart before Suarez clinically wrapped up the points 21 minutes from the end.
With six wins from six games, Barca have a four-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid, who defeated Sevilla 2-0 in the day’s early kickoff.
Soccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona fans hold up Catalonia flags REUTERS/Albert Gea
Champions Real Madrid moved up to fourth with a 2-1 win away to bottom-of-the-table Alaves but still trail Barca by seven points.
(Editing by Clare Fallon)
Soccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Luis Suarez celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Luis Suarez celebrates scoring their third goal as Girona's Gorka Iraizoz and Jonas Ramalho look dejected REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen in action REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in action with Girona's Juanpe REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Lionel Messi goes down REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Andre Gomes in action with Girona's Johan Mojica REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Denis Suarez looks dejected after Girona's Gorka Iraizoz collects the ball from him REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Luis Suarez scores their third goal REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Santander La Liga - Girona vs FC Barcelona - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - September 23, 2017 Barcelona’s Luis Suarez attempts to shoot, but it results in an own goal scored by Girona's Gorka Iraizoz REUTERS/Albert Gea
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