Barcelona edges Las Palmas with late Gundogan goal

Ilkay Gundogan sent his shot from the penalty spot into the middle of the net three minutes into added time to keep Barcelona within seven points of leaders Madrid and Girona at the halfway point of the season

Barcelona needed a penalty kick in stoppage time to win 2-1 at Las Palmas and keep pace with leaders Real Madrid and Girona in the Spanish league on Thursday.

Ilkay Gundogan sent his shot from the penalty spot into the middle of the net three minutes into added time to keep Barcelona within seven points of leaders Madrid and Girona at the halfway point of the season.

Madrid, which is ahead of Girona on a tiebreaker, defeated Mallorca 1-0 on Wednesday, while Girona beat fifth-place Atletico Madrid 4-3.

“Everyone is having a hard time winning,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said. “Girona's victory came in the last second, Madrid needed a goal off a corner in the 80th, and we did it with a penalty in the final moments. We have what it takes to win the league, you have to respect the defending champions."

It was another poor performance by Barcelona, which ended last year with three setbacks before edging last-place Almeria in a match in which it was booed by its own fans after another lackluster outing.

Mid-table Las Palmas was in control in the first half and squandered several chances to take the lead. Barcelona went into the locker room at halftime with no shots on target.

“What was important was to get the three points,” Barcelona forward Ferran Torres said. “We couldn't get the timing right with the last pass in the first half.”