Catalan club kicks off US tour and Champions League preparations with 5-2 win.
By JEREMY LAST, APfc barcelona 224 88(photo credit: AP)
FC Barcelona continued its preparations for a possible Champions League clash with Betar Jerusalem with a 5-2 win over CD Guadalajara in a friendly on Sunday.
Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o scored two goals to lead the Catalan club to victory in Chicago.
Barcelona has been drawn to play the winner of Wednesday's Betar Jerusalem vs Wisla Krakow game in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.
Jerusalem beat Krakow 2-1 in Israel last week and faces the Polish team in Poland on Wednesday.
Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola said after the game that he was pleased with the quality and work rate of his players.
"We've scored a lot of goals and defensively we've worked hard, which is absolutely essential," he said.
"The feeling you get is that no matter who plays, the team is working well and that gives you peace of mind at the start of the season."
Midfielder Xavi gave Barcelona a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute, blasting a long shot that Chivas goalkeeper Sergio Rodriguez got a hand on it but couldn't keep from rolling into the lower left corner.
Twenty minutes later, Barcelona's newly acquired midfielder Alexander Hleb of Belarus made it 2-0 in front of a crowd of front of 40,717 at Soldier Field.
In the 49th minute Barcelona substitution Eto'o tapped the ball in the net on a Jeffren Suarez to make it 3-0.
The Chivas fans erupted 10 minutes later when forward Jesus Padilla blasted a long shot into the net to make it 3-1, before Eto'o scored his second goal in the 73rd minute on a cross from Bojan Krkic.
Javier Hernandez scored on a header in the 88th minute for Chivas and Barcelona's Jose Caceres finished the scoring in the final minute.
Barcelona next plays the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium on Wednesday.
Guardiola noted that he didn't want to tire his players out in these two games as they have the Champions League qualifying rounds coming up.
Barca's former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry said the team thrives on pressuring the opposition defenders.
"When we put the pressure on up front it's a lot easier to score," he argued. "When you win, you work better. Unlike last year we now pressurise more up front and the whole team is defending well. We're playing well, we're scoring goals and that's important."
Rafa Marquez, the club's Mexican midfielder, added that he feels the preparation for the crucial European tie is going well.
"We're all pulling in the same direction. We're getting better in each game, especially in terms of physical fitness. We're all pulling in the same direction.
"I reckon we'll be in good nick for the qualifying games, and the boss has it all virtually worked out in his mind."
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