16 Jun THE RUNNER-UP OF THE OK LIGA: THE LICEO
Deportivo Liceo, after a season with several difficulties, achieved second place in the OK Liga after losing to Barcelona. The ISB Sport ambassadors ended the season with a worthy performance in the finals.
Final – Game 1
The first game of the OK Liga finals between Barcelona and Deportivo Liceo was played at Palau Blaugrana. The Liceo team, despite not being the favorites, put up a fight. The physical effort of Juan Copa’s team did not stop. In the 15th minute, trailing 1-0 on the scoreboard, Àlex Rodríguez caught a ball inside the area and fired a powerful shot past the veteran Barcelona goalkeeper (1-1). Immediately after, Dava came close to a comeback with a long shot that Fernández magnificently deflected with his left glove.
Rodríguez was also an involuntary protagonist of an ugly action by Sergi Panadero, who hit him with a stick. A blue card was shown as a result. The scorer couldn’t convert the penalty that would have put his team ahead. All this while the issue of accumulated fouls arose. Deportivo Liceo had accumulated 4-9 fouls, which required careful management of the defenses.
Unfortunately, the start of the second half couldn’t have been worse. In the first three minutes, Barcelona scored two goals. Rodrigues scored seconds after the restart. Then his assistant, Bargalló, scored with a powerful low shot that surprised César and Martí. The bleeding could have been worse when Liceo committed their tenth foul, but the goalkeeper denied Pau’s run.
Barcelona’s accuracy accompanied them. Two late goals from Rodrigues extended the lead and sealed this first game of the final with a 5-1 score.
Final – Game 2
With Bruno in place of Sito as a novelty in the starting lineup, Deportivo Liceo couldn’t find fortune from the beginning. Only three minutes passed until Hélder Nunes, with a shot from outside the area, saw the trajectory deflect off a defender and deceive Martí Serra. The score was 1-0 against Liceo to start the match.
The ISB Sport ambassadors were well-established despite the partial defeat when luck struck again. With two minutes left until halftime, Rodrigues scored the 2-0 after taking advantage of a rebound.
In the second half, more of the same. The green and white team continued to attack but faced a formidable Sergi Fernández, who was instrumental in Barcelona’s victory. Pol and César tested him upon their return to the rink before Pau Bargalló finally scored. In the 34th minute, with a very similar play to Dava’s on the left side, he managed to put the ball into Serra’s net.
Martí also had an excellent game, making four direct saves. Two were practically back-to-back: one after a blue card given to the captain and another after committing the tenth infraction. Bargalló and Rodrigues were the victims. However, former Liceo player Marc Grau scored the 4-0 in the 39th minute. Another blow.
The consolation goal for Deportivo Liceo came in the 45th minute through Bruno Di Benedetto. He advanced on the left, entered the area, finished, and the ball slowly entered Fernández’s goal. It served little more than to make the score more respectable.
Final – Game 3
The blue and red team had the final on track after winning the previous two matches, which could secure the victory in the OK Liga for FC Barcelona.
But first, the blue and red team had to fight. At least at the same level as Liceo. Riazor was a different story and, at the very least, it was also going to put up a fight. This became evident just four minutes into the game. Bruno Di Benedetto scored the opening goal, receiving an intelligent pass from Dava Torres at the edge of the box. However, the response from the culés was expected. Finally, Rodrigues was the one to equalize, positioned near the goal to capitalize on a defensive error by Liceo (1-1, 7th minute).
The equalizer also leveled the game in terms of dominance. This aspect prevailed in both matches at Palau and also in A Coruña. Both teams had significant opportunities, perhaps with a bit more danger in the latter stages. Nevertheless, Pau Bargalló completed a comeback in the 15th minute, putting Juan Copa’s team on the edge. However, the response from Liceo was quick and effective. Just two minutes later, Bruno scored again, receiving a lethal pass from Pol Manrubia on the right side and finishing in the same area as the first goal (2-2). They even came close to making it 3-2 when César Carballeira hit the post, just minutes before halftime.
The team that would end up being the final 25 in the 2022/23 OK Liga did not start poorly. Bruno completed his hat trick in the 33rd minute (3-2) after advancing alone on the right side and beating Fernández. Unfortunately, there was still a lot of game left. This was evident when a penalty was committed shortly after on Marc Grau, although Martí Serra was excellent in stopping both Nunes’ penalty and the rebound. The Liceo goalkeeper had another great game, as he did in the previous two matches at Palau.
Then came the factor of accumulated fouls. It was 9-9 with fifteen minutes left on the clock. Barcelona committed their tenth foul, but the direct penalty was not converted by Àlex Rodríguez. However, Edu Castro’s team capitalized on it through Pau Bargalló (3-3).
With Liceo risking it all with five outfield players, the culés scored two more goals, taking advantage of the empty net. They were scored by Rodrigues and Marc Grau. The first of them, once again after a possible penalty on Fran Torres. After a final scuffle in which Barcelona goalkeeper Sergi Fernández was sent off for assaulting Pol Manrubia, the deceiving 3-6 scoreline stood, putting an end to a season of great merit for Deportivo Liceo.
One defeat cannot overshadow a season to be very proud of. After a summer of restructuring and a path filled with difficulties, Deportivo Liceo was defeated by Barcelona in the OK Liga final and became the runner-up.
