La Liga: Paulinho saves FC Barcelona with late goal at Getafe

Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Paulinho netted the go-ahead score for Barcelona Saturday in a 2-1 win against Getafe.

FC Barcelona trailed in the first half when Gaku Shibasaki netted a volley at the 39-minute mark. But substitute Denis Suarez kept Barcelona in the contest when he bent a shot into the far post netting to tie the game at 1-1 at the 62-minute mark.

"We were able to react," Suarez told the team website. "We've had a spectacular start in the League and we must continue like this."

It was Paulinho's turn to strike just after the 83-minute mark. Lionel Messi fired a pass into the box, ahead of a sprinting Paulinho. The Brazilian midfielder shook a defender to the outside and fired a shot across the face of the goal past a diving Vicente Guaita and into the far post net, giving Barca a 2-1 advantage.

Barcelona controlled 70 percent of the possession in the contest.

"It was a tough game and it cost us a lot, against a rival that pressed high against us," Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde told the team website. "The pitch didn't help, because it was dry and the ball didn't go too far, but we came back and this proves our power of reaction in a difficult game."

Paulinho, 29, signed with Barcelona in August for about $47.7 million. He has 13 goals and three assists in 30 games this year for Barcelona, Brazil and Guangzhou.

Ousmane Dembele, who joined Barcelona this summer from Borussia Dortmund, suffered a hamstring injury during the first half of the win.

Barcelona faces Elbar on Tuesday at Camp Nou.