Eto'o steals show in Deco's testimonial game

It was Queens Park Rangers target Samuel Eto’o who was on top form in former Portuguese midfielder Deco’s testimonial match played on Friday as he recorded a brace.

The game involved two Champions League wining sides of FC Porto and Barcelona. FC Porto were winners in 2004 Champions League whiles Barcelona won in 2006.

Former Chelsea striker Eto'o waits with the ball on the goal line before knocking it in as defender comes to clear after Lionel Messi had dribbled past three defenders in 21st minute of the game.

The Cameroon striker later grabbed his second as he dazzled past forest of legs in the second half. Eto’o’s solo effort received a rapturous applause from the fans.

That was not all, the Cameroon legend set up Messi for his side’s fourth goal in the dying embers of the game.

The game, featuring the likes of Lionel Messi, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Benni McCarthy and Paulo Ferreira, ended 4-4, with Samuel Eto'o scoring twice and Deco getting the decisive strike for Porto having played for both sides. On an emotional occasion the Portuguese playmaker nipped in with a tidy finish in the 89th minute, which proved to be the last touch of the game. But Eto'o's cheeky antics were what had most people talking.

The centre forward, who spearheaded Barca's attack in 2006, was on top form. The first of his two goals came after he waited on the goalline for a defender to catch him before tapping in.

And even before the game he was posing for the camera's as the camera panned across the assembled stars, which bizarrely included Edgar Davids despite him only playing for Barcelona in 2004.

But the evening was all about Deco - he ended up scoring and setting up goals for both sides on a fitting end to a trophy-heavy career that took in time with both of these sides as well as Chelsea.

Derlei, Benni McCarthy scored for Porto as they raced into a 2-0 first half lead, and Edgaras Jankauskas also bagged for the Portuguese side. Messi scored Barcelona's third on the night, converting a rare header from an Eto'o cross.

But it was of course left to Deco to finish it off, placing a brilliant finish off the underside of the bar (in a Porto shirt this time) to make it 4-4 before the referee recognised the ideal time to blow the final whistle and pull the curtain down on Deco's time in football.

Afterwards, Messi paid tribute to the man of the occasion. 'Deco deserved this, both as a footballer and as a person,' he said.

'He’s a player I learned a lot from, as did so many other team-mates. There was no way I was going to miss this event.'