FC Barcelona strikes quickly, routs Red Bulls

Aug 7, 2008 - 2:05 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- FC Barcelona wasted very little time introducing itself to the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday.

Xavi and Samuel Eto'o scored one minute apart and Rafael Alverz Marquez also tallied in the 24th minute to propel the Spanish side to a 6-2 triumph over the Red Bulls in a friendly in front of 38,152 at Giants Stadium.

Eto'o scored again in the 43rd minute to record his second two-goal performance in as many matches, and Jeffren Suarez and Pedro tallied five minutes apart for FC Barcelona, which owned a decisive 22-5 advantage in shots.

"It's not normal to score so many goals," FC Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola said. "It is a good feeling, but you have to be careful because it is not normal to play that way. We have to prepare mentally for our next game in seven days."

Seth Stammler scored in the 30th minute and Jorge Rojas tallied in the 60th minute for the Red Bulls.

"Very difficult game against one of the best teams in the world," New York coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. "The first half we found it impossible to control the game, never mind dominate it. It was a tough experience for everyone, including myself."

After the match, Guardiola was asked whether talented Lionel Messi would return to the side or remain with his home country of Argentina as it prepares to compete in the Olympics in Beijing.

"First of all, I have to talk to him before I speak to you," Guardiola said. "I haven't spoken to him at all. He's sleeping."

Xavi opened the scoring in the 17th minute, heading a cross from Daniel Alves past goalkeeper Jon Conway.

Before the Red Bulls could settle themselves, FC Barcelona doubled its advantage in the next minute. Xavi sent a feed from midfield into the box, where Eto'o slipped the ball past Conway from 10 yards out.

After Marquez's tally gave FC Barcelona a three-goal cushion, Stammler got the Red Bulls on the scoreboard.

Midfielder Dave van den Bergh lofted a cross from the left side of the box that deflected off the hands of goalkeeper Victor Valdes and right to Stammler, who blasted it into the vacant net from 10 yards out.

Eto'o regained FC Barcelona's three-goal cushion just 13 minutes later, accepting a feed from Alexander Hleb and splitting a pair of defenders before beating Conway for his second tally of the match. Eto'o also had a pair of goals in his side's comprehensive 5-2 triumph over Mexican powerhouse Chivas de Guadalajara in Chicago on Sunday night.

The Red Bulls trimmed the deficit back to two goals after Valdes once again could not cleanly field Jeff Parke's shot. The ball dribbled past the keeper and onto the foot of Rojas, who blasted it into the net.

That was as close as New York would get as Suarez and Pedro tallied to cap the scoring.

"You saw top players against very good MLS players," Osorio said. "They have midfielders who can pass all day long. They are very difficult to play. We couldn't have done any better than we have today."

"The main responsibility now for us is on Sunday (against D.C. United). That's where our mind is," Red Bulls striker Juan Pablo Angel said. "It was a very good experience for us to play against the world's top players."