Alexandre Pato saved the blushes of fellow Brazilian Dida with a brace as AC Milan overcame Real Madrid 3-2 at the Bernabeu to get their Champions League challenge back on track and inflict only a second competitive defeat of the season on their big-spending hosts.
For a while it looked as though Dida`s dreadful first-half error, which allowed Raul to give Madrid a half-time lead, would cost Milan dear but Pato popped up in the 88th minute to volley home his side`s winner and help the Italians bounce back from defeat to FC Zurich in their previous Group C match.
That was Pato`s second goal of the game, as he had also put Milan ahead in the 66th minute after Andrea Pirlo's equaliser just minutes before.
Royston Drenthe was the other goalscorer, making it 2-2 in the 76th minute, but his effort could not save Madrid in the battle between the two most successful sides in European Cup history.
The results means seven-time European champions Milan join Madrid, who have won the competition a record nine times, on six points at the midway point of the group stages.
Madrid were convinced Karim Benzema should have been awarded a penalty in the 14th minute after the France striker went crashing to the ground following a challenge from behind by Gianluca Zambrotta.
That incident was forgotten five minutes later when Madrid took the lead following Dida's error.
The Milan goalkeeper comfortably saved Esteban Granero`s head-high shot but, in looking up to see where his team-mates were, he took his eye off the ball before he had complete control of it.
The subsequent fumble was pounced on by the alert Raul, who nicked the ball away from the Brazil keeper before side-footing into an empty net.
That was Raul`s 66th Champions League goal and completed a memorable few days for the veteran forward, who before Saturday`s home game with Real Valladolid was presented with a trophy for breaking Madrid`s club record for the most official appearances and then went onto score twice in a 4-2 victory.
Raul`s strike was the only thing that separated the two sides at the end of a closely-fought first half, with the only other decent effort coming from Marcelo on the stroke of half-time, the Madrid left-back seeing his 25-yard drive parried by the diving Dida.
The dearth of chances in the first period was in stark contrast to the start of the second, when Madrid had four decent efforts in the opening 10 minutes.
Raul drove one wide of the far post and also seeing Dida pluck his attempted chip out of the air, while the Brazilian goalkeeper partly made amends for his first half howler as he produced fine saves to deny former Milan favourite Kaka and tip over Benzema`s shot from outside the box.
With Milan offering little going forward and Ronaldinho, who received a standing ovation here four years ago from the Madrid faithful after scoring twice for Barcelona a 3-0 triumph but was jeered and booed every time he touched the ball tonight, fairly anonymous, it looked only a matter of time before the home side increased their lead.
But completely against the run of play, Milan not only found an equaliser but also managed to take the lead in a remarkable four-minute spell that turned the game upside down.
Although not in the same league as Dida`s earlier mistake, Madrid custodian Iker Casillas may feel he could have done better with both of Milan`s goals.
The first saw the Spain number one beaten at his right-hand post by Pirlo`s 35-yard thunderbolt, and then he raced out to meet Massimo Ambrosini`s through-ball only to see the ball slid past him off the rain-soaked surface and present Pato with an open net in which to score.
Suddenly Madrid had gone from seemingly being in total control to having to chase the game, and with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain and Ruud van Nistelrooy all injured, coach Manuel Pellegrini was lacking in attacking options on the bench.
He opted to give Royston Drenthe a chance to make himself a hero, and the move proved to be an inspired one as the Dutchman drew Madrid level with 14 minutes to go.
The former Feyenoord man has suffered from the Bernabeu boo boys in the past, but he sent the Bernabeu into delirium as he brought down Raul`s corner on the edge of the box before drilling home a low left-footed shot just inside the post.
However, that was not enough to earn Madrid a point as Milan claimed the spoils thanks to Pato`s late strike.
The visitors really should have gone ahead moments earlier when Thiago Silva saw an apparently good goal controversially ruled out after he headed home a corner, but Leonardo`s men need not have worried as in the 88th minute former Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf picked out the unmarked Pato and he volleyed home at the far post.
