April 4 (UPI) — FC Barcelona beat AS Roma 4-1 in the first leg of a Champions League quarterfinal matchup Wednesday at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain.
Barcelona won the game with the help of two own goals from the visitors.
Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta attempted a give-and-go in the box in the 38th minute. Iniesta went to pass the ball back to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, but Roma defender Daniele De Rossi intervened. De Rossi lunged to keep Messi from getting the ball back, but got a piece of the pass. His deflection sailed into the net for an own goal.
Barcelona got its second score when midfielder Ivan Rakitic sent a pass in toward Samuel Umtiti in the 55th minute. Umtiti got a touch on the ball, before it was deflected by Kostas Manolas for another Roma own goal to start the second half.
Defender Gerard Pique was the first Barcelona player to score for his squad in the 59th minute. Messi brought the ball down before sending a pinpoint cross to Luis Suarez on the left side of the box. Suarez ripped a shot, but it was deflected back into the box. Pique was standing in the perfect spot to clean it up and give Barcelona a 3-0 edge.
Roma forward Edin Dzeko finally put his squad on the scoreboard in the 80th minute.
Dzeko got the goal by sandwiching himself in between defenders. He brought in a Diego Perotti pass and used his body to shield off the opposition, before finishing a shot past Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Suarez had Barcelona’s final goal. Denis Suarez attempted a cross for Barcelona, but the feed was broken up by Roma defender Federico Fazio. The ball bounced off of Fazio to a waiting Luis Suarez, who jumped on the ricochet for a score with his left boot in the 87th minute.
Barcelona hosts Leganes in a La Liga clash at 2:45 p.m. Saturday before resuming its Champions League series against Roma at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday at Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Roma hosts Fiorentina at noon Saturday in a Serie A affair before welcoming the La Liga leaders for the second leg.
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