Jurgen Klinsmann’s managerial debut in the German first division got off to a stuttering start on Friday as his defending champions Bayern Munich drew 2-2 at home to Hamburg.
Two goals inside five minutes gave Bayern the edge in the opening period, Bastian Schweinsteiger netting in the 12th minute with a wonderful effort and Lukas Podolski slotting home a penalty four minutes later. But gritty Hamburg bounced back on 25 minutes, after some sloppy defending by Brazilian defender Lucio allowed Paolo Guerrero to steal in front and comfortably head one back.
Klinsmann’s players worked hard to stifle any Hamburg insurgency following their breakthrough, keeping possession to kill the pace of the game, content with the one-goal advantage at the break.
PHOTO: AP
The Hamburgers, playing in blue and black, would certainly have been nursing some bruises in the dressing-room.
Bayern’s bulwark Schweinsteiger was quickly out of the blocks in the second period with a probing penalty box run that almost resulted in a Hamburg own goal.
The visitors’ defense looked even more fragile when Podolski wriggled free in a crowded box only to hit a close-range effort over the bar, when he really should have done better.
But former Tottenham boss Martin Jol’s men were not for turning. Croatian Ivica Olic got onto the end of a corner on the 50th minute to rattle a stinging shot off the woodwork.
Bayern failed to heed that warning and paid the price four minutes later when the wily Olic won a penalty, which was expertly converted by Piotr Trochowski.
With an expensive injury list, which includes Luca Toni and Germany’s player of the Year Franck Ribery, Klinsmann’s team were beginning to look leg weary as the game moved into the last quarter.
Lucio made a rare foray forward in the 85th minute to get onto the end of a Toni Kroos free-kick but failed to steer his header goalward, as Bayern probed without much conviction.
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