Eto'o strikes twice to save Barça

Eto'o strikes twice to save Barça

FC Barcelona's winning run in the Liga was halted at ten games as Real Betis Balompié gave the Spanish leaders a real scare in Seville before being pegged back by two Samuel Eto'o goals to draw a terrific game 2-2.

Eto'o penalty

It was only the fourth time Barcelona have dropped points in 23 games this season and the first since a 1-1 draw with Getafe CF on 23 November, and ultimately they were grateful for a point after falling 2-0 down within 25 minutes. Melli opened the scoring on 18 minutes then Mark González rifled in the second with a volley from the left seven minutes later. Barcelona pressed forward but Betis looked to have weathered the storm until two minutes into added time at the end of the first half when Xavi Hernández was upended in the area. Ricardo saved Eto'o's spot kick diving to his right, but the Cameroonian striker was quickest to the rebound to poke in his league leading 22nd goal of the season.

Deportivo draw

Barcelona had a succession of chances in the second half only to be denied by the excellent Ricardo. Betis also threatened on the break and had the ball in the net after one marvellous cross-field move only for Oliveira's strike to be flagged offside. Víctor Valdés's terrific save with his legs thwarted the striker again soon after and Betis would pay for that miss with six minutes to play when Eto'o worked room for himself on the edge of the area and fired in low to Ricardo's right. The result takes Barcelona 13 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid CF who travel to Real Sporting de Gijón on Sunday. In the evening's other early game RC Deportivo La Coruña, who meet Denmark's Aalborg BK in the UEFA Cup on Wednesday, were held to a goalless draw by struggling CA Osasuna.
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