Cameroonian international Samuel Eto'o made sure league leaders Barcelona maintained the pressure on their title rivals by scoring a late winner in a 2-1 defeat of Levante.

The African Player of the Year's 13th goal of the season ensured the Catalans will pick up the unofficial prize of being Spain's 'winter champions' when the championship race reaches its halfway point in mid-January.

Ahead of Wednesday's main round of league matches, Barcelona lead city neighbours Espanyol by 12 points, with third-placed Real Madrid and Valencia a point further back on 29.

Barcelona always looked like the winners but their inability to get the ball in the net didn't help their cause to finish 2004 on a high note.

Eto'o, the Spanish first division's leading scorer, sent two shots skimming off the crossbar twice in the first nine minutes.

The hosts finally broke the deadlock when Alexis Suarez put the ball in his own net after 28 minutes, a free kick from Barca's Portuguese international Deco glancing off the head of the luckless Levante defender.

The Valencia-based visitors then drew level on the hour from Jofre Mateu, the former Barcelona midfielder flying down the left wing to connect with an inch-perfect pass from Felix Ettien, and slide the ball in from just outside the area.

Remembering that he had started his professional career at the Nou Camp, Jofre respectfully kept to a minimum the celebrations of his first goal in the top flight of Spanish football for six years.

Levante almost went ahead 15 minutes from the end when Alberto Rivera found the net but the goal was ruled offside.

Eto'o then made sure of the points with a left foot shot from the edge of the box three minutes from the whistle, although Levante were given their chance to find a last-gasp equaliser after six minutes of injury time were added.

(Agencies)