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Eto`o strikes again to give Barca win at Osasuna (06.03.2005)
MADRID- Barcelona striker Samuel Eto`o took his goal tally for the season to 18 with the winner in a 1-0 victory at struggling Osasuna on Saturday.
The African Player of the Year smashed a first-time shot past keeper Juantxo Elia after racing onto a magnificent pass from Portugal midfielder Deco five minutes before the break.
Barcelona now lead the table by nine points from Real Madrid who play last season`s champions Valencia later on Saturday.
Barca, wearing black armbands in memory of former coach Rinus Michels who died on Thursday, took control from the first whistle at a rain-swept El Sadar but they were slow to take advantage of their domination.
Their highly-rated youngster Andres Iniesta hit the bar after he had beaten the offside trap to latch onto a clever lofted pass from fellow midfielder Xavi midway through the half.
Defender Rafael Marquez then sent
a lob skidding past the post a few minutes later after Xavi had supplied another excellent assist.
The Catalans eventually managed to break the deadlock five minutes before the break when Deco won the ball in midfield and slipped a neat through ball into Eto`o`s path with the outside of his foot.
The Cameroon international cracked a stinging shot towards the far post and although Osasuna`s Juantxo Elia got a hand to the ball he was unable to stop it spinning into his net.
Eto`o should have grabbed another goal early in the second half when he was put clear by Ronaldinho but he ran too wide and saw his angled shot turned past the post by Elia.
Osasuna, who were on a nine-match winless streak, battled hard in the second half and laid siege to the Barca area in the closing minutes but keeper Victor Valdes produced a string of top-class saves to deny the home side an equaliser.
