Kahn calamity hands Real the luck of the draw
A late blunder from veteran keeper Oliver Kahn handed Real Madrid a fortunate 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the knockout round of the Champions League.
A late blunder from veteran keeper Oliver Kahn handed Real Madrid a fortunate 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the knockout round of the Champions League.
Bayern's talismanic Dutch striker Roy Makaay gave the hosts a second half lead but Real pulled level minutes later when Kahn bundled the ball into his own net after a freekick from specialist Roberto Carlos.
The blunder could eventually cost Bayern dear as they bid to join the last 16 of the competition - following a second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu in a fortnight - and Bayern manager Ottmar Hitzfeld admitted Kahn was bitter.
"Oliver Kahn was not in the best shape," admitted Hitzfeld. "But he is only human and can make a mistake."
"It is a bitter moment for him."
Makaay, a record 18.75 million euro signing for the German champions, had scored all but one of Munich's goals in Europe this season and headed home a Claudio Pizarro cross to give the hosts a deserved lead on 75 minutes.
Bayern looked set for a memorable win at a packed Olympic stadium until Brazilian World Cup winner Roberto Carlos surprised even himself when Kahn somehow fumbled his low drive from the edge of the box.
Madrid have still not defeated Bayern away in Europe's elite club competition, although it is the Spanish giants who will have the upper hand for the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on March 10.
"We were the better team tonight against one of the finest teams in Europe," stated Hitzfeld. "But we missed too many chances and did not have our fair share of luck."
Madrid's Portuguese manager Carlos Queiroz admitted his team were second best.
"The result was the best we could really hope for after the way we played," said Queiroz. "We scored late on and that was important. Our character was what really pleased me."
German international Michael Ballack was a doubt up until kick-off but shrugged off bronchitis to start for Bayern as Hitzfeld gambled on the fitness of his influential playmaker.
Ballack, who lost the 2002 Champions League final to Real when at Bayer Leverkusen, showed no signs of his illness as he drove the hosts on against a lacklustre Madrid team.
Real forward Ronaldo however waited only four minutes before surged clear of the Bayern backline, only to see his attempted cross for strike partner Raul cleared by Robert Kovac for a corner.
It served as an early warning for the hosts who had the first shot on target in the 10th minute thanks to Makaay, who forced Iker Casillas to save low in the visitors goal.
Peruvian marksman Pizarro then tested Casillas with a snapshot that fizzed over the crossbar.
Minutes later Pizarro had a glorious chance to open the scoring when a Willy Sagnol cross from the right found the Peruvian unmarked in the penalty area, only for his header to go over the bar.
A minute later Ze Roberto, turning in an inspired performance against the club who deemed him surplus to requirements in 1998, stung Casillas's palms with a fierce drive from the edge of the area.
Real looked at their most threatening from corners with David Beckham, who was pelted with snowballs by the home crowd, curling some pinpoint crosses into the danger area.
Heading into the half-time break Bayern could consider themselves unfortunate not to be ahead and almost paid the penalty after the interval as Beckham curled a fierce shot over Kahn's goal.
In contrast, Casillas was overworked and showed great reflexes to deny Owen Hargreaves on 65 minutes after the England international had played a clever one-two.
Ten minutes later Makaay got the breakthrough Bayern craved, heading home Pizarro's inch-perfect cross from the right.
It looked like being the decisive goal until Roberto Carlos's low freekick left Kahn clutching at thin air after the ball, which he held for a split second, inched under his huge frame and over the goalline.
Madrid are a dominant force at home and Bayern need no reminding of the task facing them after losing 2-0 in Madrid during the 2002 Champions League quarter-final after winnng the first leg 2-1 at the Olympic Stadium.