Substitute Ivan Rakitic scored twice in the second half as Barcelona finally broke down a resilient BATE Borisov to secure a 2-0 win in the Champions League Group E clash in Belarus this evening.
Belarusian champions BATE secured their first win of the group stages with a 3-2 victory over Roma last time out, but it was the holders who dominated from the first whistle and Neymar tested Sergey Chernik with a curling effort after the Brazilian had shown good footwork to open up a shooting opportunity.
Sergio Busquets fired wide and Luis Suarez's header was tipped over by Chernik as Luis Enrique's side continued to dominate, and the goalkeeper denied the visitors again when he saved Munir El Haddadi's low effort.
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Rakitic had to be called upon to replace the hobbling Sergi Roberto after 18 minutes and the Croatian created a chance immediately for Dani Alves with a fine pass, but Chernik was on hand again to keep the scores level.
The substitute then had perhaps the best chance of the first half when he failed to keep his header from Alves's cross down from close range, and though Neymar poked wide shortly before the whistle there was to be no breakthrough at half time.
However, it took Enrique's side just three minutes of the second period to find the opening goal as Rakitic finally found the net, drilling a shot into the top corner after being teed up by Neymar.
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Neymar then nearly found the net again himself as he looked to cap a lively display with a goal, but the Brazilian could only fire wide from Alves's cross, but Barca doubled their lead shortly after the hour mark.
It was the same combination which yielded reward for the visitors as Neymar cut in from the left and found Rakitic again, and the midfielder lifted his effort over the onrushing goalkeeper to seal victory for the Catalan side.
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BATE finally showed some attacking intent in the final quarter of an hour as Nikolai Signevich forced a save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen, but by then the damage had been done as Barca extended their unbeaten start to the defence of their Champions League crown.
Tom Nightingale
