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Football

Zaragoza beat Barca to reach semis

Oleguer (left) Cuartero (center) Villa (right)
Barca's Oleguer battles with vies with Villa, right, and Cuartero of Zaragoza.

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MADRID, Spain (Reuters) -- Real Zaragoza edged past Barcelona and into the semifinals of the King's Cup, drawing the second leg 1-1 to clinch a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Barcelona, trailing 1-0 after a dismal performance in the first leg at the Nou Camp, leveled the overall score when Luis Garcia cracked in a spectacular volley in the 12th minute.

The Catalans might easily have increased their lead but they were left to rue a series of missed chances when Yordi hooked in a loose ball from a corner five minutes from time.

Zaragoza will join Real Madrid, Sevilla and second division Alaves in the draw for the semifinals on Friday.

Defeat for Barcelona will pile pressure on coach Frank Rijkaard, who has been under fire from local media for the team's indifferent performances this season.

"Zaragoza got stronger as the game went on and when they scored it was too late for us to come back," Rijkaard said. "We did create chances but we didn't look like scoring.

"It's a big step backwards."

Barcelona were given just the start they wanted with Garcia's stunning goal.

Ronaldinho hit a low free kick that rebounded off the wall and straight to Garcia a few meters outside the box to blast back past Cesar Lainez with a first-time strike.

Ronaldinho and Xavi, in complete charge in midfield, created several chances with their astute passing but Lainez was sharp to block at the feet of Patrick Kluivert after 20 minutes and then palm away a goalbound Edgar Davids shot.

Rijkaard surprisingly opted to take off Kluivert, Davids and Ronaldinho in the second half and Zaragoza took advantage to clinch victory when Gabriel Milito's header fell to Yordi to fire home.



Copyright 2004 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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