Messi and Ronaldo light up El Clasico

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
matched each other blow for blow at
the Nou Camp, bagging two goals
apiece as Barcelona and Real Madrid
battled out an entertaining 2-2 draw
in the first Clasico of the Primera
Division season.
Tito Vilanova's Barca headed into the
game eight points clear of their arch-
rivals and boasting a 100 per cent
record from their first six matches,
but found themselves trailing midway
through the first half when Ronaldo
netted for the sixth straight Clasico.
But Messi equalised with a scrappy
goal soon after and then put the
hosts ahead with a stunning free-kick
on the hour, only for Ronaldo to
capitalise on sloppy defending
midway through the second half to
ensure honours ended even.
The visitors began brightly and created
the better of the early chances. Karim
Benzema miscued a volley horribly
wide from 12 yards and Sergio Ramos
leapt above the Barca defence only to
direct his header inches wide of Victor
Valdes' goal.
The warning signs had been there but
Barca failed to heed them and the
opener duly arrived midway through
the first half. Benzema turned neatly
on the edge of the box and fed
Ronaldo, who lashed home a low left-
footed finish which beat Valdes at his
near post.
It could have been 2-0 moments later
when Khedira burst down the right
before feeding Benzema. The
Frenchman spooned his effort against
the post, though, and Di Maria sent
the rebound wide with the goal at his
mercy.
However Barca were soon level.
Madrid failed to clear their lines from
Pedro Rodriguez's cross and, after
bobbling around in the area the ball
fell kindly to Messi in the six-yard box
and he lashed past a helpless Iker
Casillas and into the roof of the net.
The hosts took the lead in spectacular
style on the hour mark, Messi picking
himself up after being fouled by Xabi
Alonso and despatching a brilliant left-
footed free-kick up over the wall and
curling away from the diving Casillas.
Whatever Messi could do, though,
Ronaldo could do too, and swiftly
matched the Argentina forward's
eight goals in La Liga this term six
minutes later. Ozil slotted a slick pass
through to the Portuguese, who had
been played onside by Adriano and
coolly slotted past Valdes to get
Madrid back on level terms.
Montoya was almost an unlikely
match-winner on 88 minutes for
Barca but his right-footed attempt
from the edge of the box crashed
back off the bar, before Pedro burst
through in stoppage time and
unleashed a left-footed shot which
flew just wide.