Messi scores for Barca in 2 – 2 draw against Lechia Gdansk
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
31.07.2013 07:42
Lionel Messi scored for Barcelona in a 2 – 2 draw in a pre-season friendly against Lechia Gdansk, Tuesday, in a match that saw the début for the Spanish side of new signing Neymar.
Messi scores second for Barca at PGE Stadium: photo - PAP/Piotr Pędziszewski
The side from Gdansk scored first with Jarosław Bieniuk finding the net in the 15th minute though Sergi Roberto equalized for Barca in the 26th at the PGE Stadium in Gdansk.
Piotr Grzelczak put Lechia Gdansk ahead five minutes after the break, though Lionel Messi brought the teams level in the 57th minute.
Though the organisers had billed the friendly as a 'Super Match' the Spanish side left many of their top stars at home, with Barca using the match as part of their pre-season build up to the 2013/14 season.
Brazil striker Neymar - who completed his move from Santos to Barcelona for a reported 57m euros in June – came off the bench for his first match for his new club 15 minutes from the final whistle.
The match was originally scheduled for July 20 but was postponed following coach Tito Vilanova being diagnosed with throat cancer. He was replaced by Gerado Martino. (pg)