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In a hard-fought encounter, Ilkay Gundogan's stoppage-time penalty sealed a narrow 2-1 triumph for reigning champions Barcelona against Las Palmas on Thursday. Xavi Hernandez's side, trailing in the league standings, secured a crucial win as they aimed to stay within striking distance of leaders Real Madrid and second-placed Girona.
Barcelona found themselves seven points adrift of the top two after both Real Madrid and Girona clinched victories on Wednesday. The pressure was on the Catalans to secure maximum points against Las Palmas to maintain their pursuit of the title.
The mid-table Canary Islanders, however, proved to be formidable opponents, outplaying Barcelona at times. Former Blaugrana striker Munir El Haddadi struck early, giving Las Palmas the lead in the 12th minute.
Barcelona faced adversity but mounted a second-half comeback when Ferran Torres leveled the score. The pivotal moment came in stoppage time when Ilkay Gundogan calmly converted a penalty, earning Barcelona the crucial victory. Gundogan earned the penalty after being fouled in the box just as he was about to head into an empty net.
The win propelled Barcelona forward in the standings, but they remain in pursuit of the top two. Athletic Bilbao secured a solid 2-0 victory against Sevilla earlier in the day, placing them fourth, while Atletico Madrid sits fifth after a dramatic 4-3 defeat by Girona. The competitive nature of the league promises an exciting race for the title as the season unfolds.
