Saviola double helps Barcelona to 3-1 win

Javier Saviola has scored once in each half to lead Barcelona to a comfortable 3-1 win over Lokomotiv Moscow as the Spaniards maintained their 100 percent record in Champions League group H.

The visitors went ahead in the 29th minute when Gaizka Mendieta sent a long ball into the Lokomotiv penalty area and Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert outsprinted a defender to beat goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov from close range.

Saviola doubled the lead with a neat header into the far corner just two minutes later following a right wing cross from Xavi.

The Argentine, who had a goal disallowed for off-side just four minutes into the game, made it 3-0 shortly after the interval following a nice one-two with Luis Enrique as Barcelona headed for their third win in three Champions League matches.

Nigerian striker James Obiorah salvaged some pride for the Russians with a consolation goal in the 55th minute but otherwise Lokomotiv, missing captain and leading European scorer Dmitry Loskov through suspension and midfielder Marat Izmailov through injury, rarely threatened a tight Barcelona defence.

Russia striker Ruslan Pimenov had the best chance for the home side early in the first half, played on a wet and soggy pitch, but his low shot was saved by Victor Valdes.

Barcelona, who thrashed Spartak 5-1 on their last visit to Moscow nine years ago, controlled the tempo in the final 30 minutes.

Barcelona's Dutch coach Louis van Gaal said his team had fully recovered from a crushing 3-0 defeat by Real Betis at the weekend.

"We never had a confidence crisis and today we showed what this team is capable of," he said.

"We started well and played aggressive for the first 20 minutes but then we raised our level of attacking football for the next 20 minutes."

"Although I was disappointed that we allowed a goal in the second half, overall I'm fully satisfied with our performance tonight. We can now look forward to our next match."

Lokomotiv coach Yuri Syomin also praised the Spanish team.

"We played as hard as we could but Barcelona just played fantastic football," he said.

"Of course we were missing a couple of key players but I think even their presence would not have made much difference. Barcelona just have players who are better in every aspect of the game than us."

Lokomotiv remain bottom of the group with just one point from last week's 0-0 draw at Belgium's Club Bruges, who were playing Galatasaray of Turkey later on Tuesday.