We will improve – Egypt striker Hamza Abdelkarim after scoring in Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Birmingham

Barcelona youngster Hamza Abdelkarim made an impressive start to the club’s pre-season campaign by scoring twice in a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City on Friday, before the English side went on to claim victory in the ensuing penalty shootout.

The 18-year-old Egyptian forward was the standout performer for the Catalan giants, netting both of their goals in an entertaining contest and continuing the fine form that earned him a permanent move to the club earlier this year.

Speaking after the match, Abdelkarim expressed his delight with his performance while stressing that the team’s focus remains on improving as preparations for the new season continue.

“I’m really happy, and hopefully we can continue working and improving every match,” he told Barcelona’s official website.

The teenage striker also praised Birmingham City for providing a stern test in Barcelona’s opening pre-season outing.

“We’ve been working every week to improve, and Birmingham were a tough team,” he said.

Barcelona fell behind in the 31st minute but responded before the break when Abdelkarim calmly converted from the penalty spot three minutes before halftime to restore parity.

The Egyptian then completed his brace in the 60th minute, reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area to fire Barcelona into the lead. However, Birmingham responded eight minutes later to level the scores at 2-2 before eventually prevailing in the penalty shootout.

Reflecting on the encounter, Abdelkarim acknowledged the physical nature of Birmingham’s play while highlighting the progress being made by Barcelona’s youthful squad.

“They were really physical, and it was obvious on the pitch, but it was a good game,” he said.

“We’re improving with every match. We’re still a young team, so we’re getting to know each other better on the pitch. It’s about building confidence throughout the whole team.”

Abdelkarim recently completed a permanent move to Barcelona after the Spanish club exercised its option to sign him from Egyptian giants Al Ahly following a successful loan spell with the reserve side.

The promising forward, who became the first Egyptian player to join Barcelona, enjoyed an outstanding stint with the club’s reserves, scoring six goals in 11 appearances to convince the Blaugrana to secure his long-term future.