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Shevchenko penalty hands Milan draw at Bayern
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-02-22 09:03
MUNICH, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Andriy Shevchenko struck with a penalty to give AC
Milan a valuable 1-1 draw in Tuesday's Champions League first knockout round tie
at Bayern Munich to wreck the German side's perfect home record.
Michael
Ballack had given Bayern the lead with a stunning half-volley in the 23rd minute
and the Germans were looking comfortable before a disputed Valerien Ismael
handball gave Shevchenko the chance to equalise 13 minutes after the break.
Bayern, who had won all 15 of their previous home matches in the Bundesliga,
Cup and Champions League since a move into their new Allianz Arena, were without
goalkeeper Oliver Kahn after he suffered a recurrence of his thigh injury in the
warm-up.
Milan also finished the game without their first choice goalkeeper, with Dida
giving way to Zeljko Kalac in the 69th minute after the Brazilian's awkward
fall.
With a precious away goal, Milan, six-times European champions and last
season's beaten finalists, will be favourites going into the return leg in Italy
on March 8.
Bayern, who won the last of their four European Cups in 2001, will kick
themselves for letting Milan escape with such a positive result after
controlling the match.
The loss of club captain Kahn left stand-in Michael Rensing with the daunting
task of dealing with Shevchenko and Alberto Gilardino but in fact Milan failed
to force the Germany under-21 keeper into a save in the first half.
Bayern Controal
Bayern were hardly worrying Dida at the other end in a dismal start to the
match, but with Ballack and Martin Demichelis dominating the midfield they
gradually started to create problems.
Ballack headed over from a swinging Hasan Salihamidzic cross 10 minutes
before he made the breakthrough.
The Germany captain was left in space a few metres outside the area to pick
up a weak defensive header. He took one touch to control the ball, waited an age
for it to come down and, still in space, arrowed his shot beyond Dida from 25
metres.
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