Alcacer brace boosts Barcelona in Messi's 600th match

Two goals by Paco Alcacer helped FC Barcelona beat Sevilla FC 2-1 and keep them at the top of the La Liga standings in what was Lionel Messi's 600th match for the club.

Barcelona are now on 31 points, four points ahead of second placed Valencia, reports Efe news agency.

Barcelona dominated the game throughout the first half and much of the second, but allowed Sevilla to react in the early minutes of the second half.

Barca moved fast from the start, with Messi largely leading the way, though without contributing a goal.

Accompanied by the usual suspects Messi and Luis Suarez, Paco Alcacer slotted the ball into the net to give Barcelona a 1-0 lead after 23 minutes.

Sevilla was looking better when it came out for the second half and a somewhat more sluggish Barca saw the game moving closer to its area.

Then at in the 58th minute, Sevilla's Guido Pizarro blasted a header for a score, making it 1-1, still anybody's game.

But in the 65th minute Alcacer proved himself to be the hero of the match and scored his second goal to give Barcelona a 2-1 win.

--IANS

ajb/bg