Draw in adversity (2-2)

Draw in adversity (2-2)

Barça, with players missing and a ‘goal that never was’ by Recreativo, got a draw at the Nuevo Colombino after Eto’o had twice given them the lead.
After an exciting game full of chances, Barça dropped two points away at Recreativo de Huelva. The Catalans had a lot of players missing but still managed to take the lead twice thanks to Eto’o. However two strikes by Marco Rubén, the first of which didn’t cross the line, levelled the scores. Leo Messi’s reappearance and a late onslaught couldn’t prevent the League slipping a little further away. Eto’o strikes first With lots of strikers sidelined through injury, Barça took to the field with an unusual attacking line-up featuring Ezquerro (back in the starting XI in the League after 14 months), Giovani and Eto’o. The three began the game well as a cross in the first minute from Giovani on the right was headed home by Eto’o between the two Recreativo central defenders. This early goal really got the match going and first Sinama and then Xavi had chances for both sides. The Catalan midfielder and Gudjohnsen playing up the middle kept play in Recreativo’s half of the pitch. Recreativo put on the pressure The game cooled down a bit after Marco Rubén fired just over the bar in the 13th minute from the edge of the box. Little by little Recreativo managed to neutralise the Barça midfield and they started to push up and create chances. However, most of their attacks were dealt with effectively by the Barcelona defence including when Milito cut out a cross heading for Sinama in front of Valdés’s goal (39’). ‘Goal that never was’ Next came the second goal of the game. Valdés stopped Marco Rubén’s header right on the goal line but the referee said the ball had crossed it and gave a goal, much to the amazement of the Barça players. They immediately stormed right back and Giovani was put through on the Recreativo goal by Eto’o in stoppage time only to see the Andalusians’ keeper palm the ball away. Eto’o does it again Frank Rijkaard’s men came out for the second half just as fired up as they had been at the start of the first and again Eto’o found the net in the first minute, firing home from 20 yards into the top right-hand corner. But in spite of that psychological boost Barça were unable to take control of the match and Recreativo gradually worked their way back into it. Valdés was first forced to make a save at point-blank range from Sinama (59’) and then blocked a piledriver from Martins with some difficulty right on the goal line. Unexpected equaliser The three points were in the balance and Leo Messi had to come on. The Argentine international replaced Giovani in the 64th minute and immediately created danger in the Recreativo penalty area on three successive occasions. Yet just when Barça looked more likely to score, the home side equalised as Marco Rubén once again headed home at the far post from a very narrow angle after Valdés had slipped (70’). Running out of steam and resources, Barça were not able to threaten their opponents’ goal again save for when Recreativo keeper Sorrentino cleared the ball straight to Messi and a series of desperate long balls pumped into the box just before the end.