By Robert H. Kelly
Before a record crowd of 70, 550 soccer crazed fans in Houston’s Reliant stadium, FC Barcelona and Club America of Mexico battled to a 4-4 tie.
The international friendly match saw forward Nelson Cuevas score three first half goals to give Club America a 4-1 lead at the half.
The match was dominated by Club America in the first half, with Barcelona managing to find the net only once on a kick by Rafa Marquez in the fifth minute. However the second half was all Barcelona
Club America took the lead early in the third minute as Cuevas found the goal from twelve yards out off an assist from Claudio Lopez.
Cuevas scored his second goal in the 30th minute and his third in the 44th minute.
Barcelona's Oleguer scored an own goal in the 65th minute to give Club America its 4-1 lead.
Forward Javier Saviola stared Barcelona’ comeback in the second half when he took a pass from forward Samuel Eto in the 85th minute to score from 15 yards to take the score to 4-2.
FIFA’s World Player of the Year Ronaldinho sat out the half due to fatigue from the heavy tour schedule. He was the World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005.
He entered the game in the second half and cut Club America’s lead to 4-3 on a penalty kick in the 89th minute after being knocked down by Jose Antonio Castro.
Eto scored the goal for the tie in the 90th minute to end the game.
The match was preceded by the Los Angeles galaxy beating the Houston Dynamo 1-0 in an MLS match.
