Bayern held and Atletico lose in UEFA Cup

LONDON (Reuters) - UEFA Cup heavyweights Bayern Munich twice had to come from behind to secure a 2-2 draw at Aberdeen in the first leg of their last 32 clash on Thursday.

Aberdeen, who famously beat Bayern 3-2 at home in the quarter-finals on their way to their triumph in the 1983 Cup Winners' Cup, stunned the Bundesliga leaders with an opening goal on 24 minutes from Josh Walker.

Some neat passing inside Bayern's penalty area saw Omatsone Aluko lay the ball back for midfielder Walker who curled a 25-metre shot past stand-in keeper Michael Rensing.

Four-times European champions Bayern equalised soon after when Miroslav Klose lashed in after Lucio's long ball forward was knocked down by Luca Toni.

But a capacity crowd at Pittodrie were celebrating again when Aluko, on-loan from Birmingham City, volleyed in from the edge of the box four minutes before halftime.

Bayern, without a host of regulars including Franck Ribery and number one goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, salvaged a draw when Hamit Altintop scored from the rebound after Jamie Langfield had parried his 55th-minute penalty.

Aberdeen, fifth in the Scottish Premier League, were on the back foot for the rest of the game but held firm.

"We played out of our skins," goalscorer Aluko told BBC Scotland.

"In the first half we were magnificent, in the second half we had to dig in."