Samuel Eto'o's second half strike had looked certain to hand the visitors a precious win. The Cameroon striker, playing his 100th league game for Barca, bagged his 72nd goal for the club when he latched on to a low cross from substitute Thierry Henry after 56 minutes.

But fellow African Uche spoiled the party when he headed home from a corner late on to leave their opponents seven points behind leaders Real Madrid in the table.

Earlier in the match, Bojan Krkic had put the visitors ahead before Ruben Pulido equalised with a header just after the half-hour mark.

Barcelona were also forced to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men following the dismissal of defender Gabi Milito for a second bookable offence.

With Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Deco, Yaya Toure and Rafa Marquez all missing through injury and Gianluca Zambrotta suspended, it was an unfamiliar Barcelona line-up.

Eto'o began in the centre forward role instead of Henry, who started on the bench.

The Cameroon striker was flanked in attack by Andres Iniesta and Bojan, and it was those two who combined to put Barcelona in front on 16 minutes.

Iniesta fired a low angled drive towards the far post, which Almeria goalkeeper Diego Alves could only parry into the path of the unmarked Bojan, who fired into the empty net to give the Catalans the breakthrough they desperately wanted after suffering defeats in their last two matches.

But as they have done so often in recent times, Frank Rijkaard's side allowed their opponents back into the game on 32 minutes, when Pulido got away from his marker Eric Abidal and directed a brilliant header past Victor Valdes.

Miguel Angel Corona and Mane then came close to giving the home side the lead as Barcelona looked all at sea in the lead-up to the interval.

But the Catalans held on until the break and improved in the second period following the introduction of Henry.

The former Arsenal forward came on for Edmilson after 54 minutes and had an immediate impact.

The Frenchman's brilliant run to the byline and cutback found Eto'o, who fired home from close range to restore the visitors' lead.

Henry then should have scored himself on 62 minutes, but saw his effort well saved by Alves.

Barcelona looked comfortable now, but were made to suffer in the latter stages after Milito was sent off following a second yellow card.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, it looked as if they would hang on for a morale-boosting victory.

But poor marking let the Catalans down once again as Uche got between Eric Abidal and Henry to head an equaliser from a corner on 85 minutes and leave the visitors' title hopes in the balance with just 10 Primera Liga games remaining.