ALBACETE, Spain, Feb 3 : Barcelona ended Albacete’s giant-killing run in the Copa del Rey, winning 2-1 away on Tuesday to become the first side to book a semi-final berth, but only after surviving a late comeback from the second-tier outfit.
Lamine Yamal swept home a 39th-minute strike to open the scoring and captain Ronald Araujo netted from a second-half corner as Barcelona stayed on course to defend the trophy they won last year.
Albacete pulled one back through Javier Moreno in the 87th minute and then had an effort cleared off the Barca line in stoppage time as they made a late bid for another high-profile scalp.
Albacete, who sit in 12th spot in the Spanish second division, had upset Celta Vigo and Real Madrid in the previous rounds but went behind in the quarter-final tie when Marcus Rashford helped steal the ball, passing to Frenkie de Jong who in turn set up Yamal for a sweeping left-footed finish.
Rashford had squandered an early chance, and Dani Olmo had a volleyed effort deflected for a corner before Yamal broke the deadlock.
Albacete had two quick chances to equalise before the break, but centre forward Antonio Puertas failed to make the most of either opportunity.
Olmo had another shot blocked after Rashford’s run had set him up from close range in the 47th minute but Barcelona did double the score nine minutes later when Araujo headed home in his first start since taking a mental health break in December.
Journeyman attacker Jefte Betancor, who had scored twice for Albacete against Real last month, could have got his side back into contention, but failed to make an immediate impact off the bench when he shot wide in the 63rd minute and then missed with a free header 10 minutes later.
But Moreno steered home a diving header from a free kick to reduce the deficit in a frenetic finale that then saw Ferran Torres tuck the ball away for what Barca thought was their third goal in the 89th minute, only for it to be ruled offside.
Albacete then laid siege to the LaLiga leaders, forcing Gerard Martin to make a dramatic clearance off the line.
Deportivo Alaves host Real Sociedad and Valencia are home to Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in other Spanish Cup quarter-finals, while Atletico Madrid visit Real Betis on Thursday.
Barcelona won the cup last year, beating Real Madrid 3-2 after extra time in the final in Seville.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
