utaka leaves bayern reeling published: tuesday 24 september 2002, 23.35cet
rc lens 1-1 fc bayern münchen john utaka strikes to heap pressure on bayern.
rc lens 1-1 fc bayern münchen john utaka's header 13 minutes from time earned rc lens a point at the félix-bolleart stadium and severely dented fc bayern münchen's uefa champions league hopes as the home side came from behind to cancel out thomas linke's first-half header.
bayern threaten both sides came into the match on the back of defeats in their opening group g ties and it was bayern who looked the more threatening after a scrappy opening period. owen hargreaves, a substitute in last week's 3-2 home at the hands of rc deportivo la coruña, drew the first save of the match from guillaume warmuz with a bouncing shot which the goalkeeper tipped round for a corner. two minutes later michael ballack shot narrowly wide after a good break down the left from zé roberto.
sibierski effort lens were reduced to punting the ball upfield as the german side wrestled control in midfield, but oliver kahn had to be alert on 19 minutes when antoine sibeierski shot hard and low from the edge of the area. four minutes later, bayern were ahead. again lens wasted possession after a period of bayern pressure and this time they were made to pay. hasan salihamidzic won a free-kick on the left and zé roberto picked out an unmarked thomas linke to head powerfully past warmuz.
kahn tips clear lens's best spell of the half came after they had fallen behind. on 27 minutes daniel moreira, who scored their goal in a 2-1 defeat by ac milan last week, shot powerfully towards the top right corner only for kahn to dive at full-stretch to tip the ball away.
mounting pressure lens signalled their intent from the start of the second half. sibierski unleashed a fierce drive from distance a minute after the restart which kahn blocked low to his right. the home side were showing more intent and drive and their crisp passing in midfield created an opening for moreira four minutes later.
lens pounce utaka broke down the right and cut the ball back for moreira whose low drive was bravely blocked by linke. bayern had been pegged back in their own half but they appeared to have weathered the storm only for the french side to pounce on 77 minutes. moreira sent over a corner from the left and the lively utaka rose highest, unmarked, to pull the home side level with a powerful header over kahn and into the roof of the net.
bayern worries after the goal the match opened up as both sides pressed for a winner, with lens looking the more threatening. bayern held on for a point, not that coach ottmar hitzfeld will feel that it is enough with milan - who beat deportivo 4-0 in spain - next in line for his side at the olympiastadion on matchday three.
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