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Ramos strikes in 90th as Madrid draw 1-1 at Barcelona

By AP - Dec 03,2016 - Last updated at Dec 03,2016

Real Madrid’s defender Sergio Ramos (centre) heads a ball to score the equaliser past Real Madrid’s French defender Raphael Varane (3rd left) and Barcelona’s Argentinian defender Javier Mascherano (right) during the Spanish league football match at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on Saturday (AFP photo by Pau Barrena)

BARCELONA, Spain — Sergio Ramos scored in the 90th minute to secure Real Madrid a 1-1 draw at Barcelona in Saturday's "clasico" match at Camp Nou.

Ramos charged in to head Luka Modric's free kick past goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who got a hand on the ball but could not keep it out.

Luis Suarez's header from a free kick by Neymar had given Barcelona the lead in the 53rd minute.

The stalemate favoured Zinedine Zidane's Madrid, which left Camp Nou with their six-point advantage atop the table intact with Barcelona second.

Madrid also extended its unbeaten streak to 33 consecutive matches.

Central defender Ramos has a habit of striking late for Madrid, including his headed goal to force added time in the 2014 Champions League final, which Madrid went on to win against Atletico Madrid.

His goal on Saturday stunned Barcelona, who were on the cusp of reviving its title defence.

Instead, it has now drawn three rounds in a row and only won two of their last seven matches overall, a particularly poor run for a side boasting an attack of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Suarez.

Despite having Andres Iniesta cleared to play from a right-knee injury hours before the match, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique decided to keep faith in the same starting 11 that was thoroughly outplayed in last weekend's stumble at Real Sociedad. Andre Gomes started for Iniesta.

Madrid's defence controlled a no-frills first half, stopping Barcelona from turning their superior possession into danger for goalkeeper Keylor Navas, while creating the only scoring opportunities.

Forward Lucas Vazquez, playing for the injured Gareth Bale, was behind Madrid's first threat when his fancy footwork opened space for a cross that Karim Benzema fired off a defender.

With Modric getting plenty of help to keep Messi in check when he tried to go through Madrid's midfield, the visitors ventured out for a goal in the final minutes before half-time.

Cristiano Ronaldo tested Ter Stegen with a pair of strikes before Benzema's pass intended for Ronaldo forced Gerard Pique to intervene with a well-timed clearance in the 44th minute.

Barcelona got the boost they needed after the restart.

Suarez muscled Vazquez out of the way and nodded in Neymar's cross that he swerved into the middle of the six-yard box.

Iniesta went on for Ivan Rakitic in the 60th for his first action since injuring a ligament in his right knee at Valencia on October 22.

Neymar, who picked up a suspension with a fifth yellow card, impressed with a sudden change of foot to breeze past Dani Carvajal, only to blast his point-blank shot over the bar in the 68th minute.

Iniesta, Neymar and Messi all added shots that could have sealed the win.

But Madrid pinned the hosts back in the final minutes and got the equaliser when Ramos arrived unchecked to meet Modric's service.

Before kick-off, both teams observed a minute of silence held for the victims of the plane crash in Colombia which included players from the Brazilian team Chapecoense.

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