Soccer: Ruud rues premature celebrations

Ruud van Nistelrooy admits he thought his goal had been enough to earn Manchester United a famous victory against Bayern Munich before the European Cup holders snatched a late equaliser.

Van Nistelrooy had edged United in front in Munich’s Olympic stadium with his fourth Champions League goal in six games on 74 minutes.

As the Dutch international striker ran away to the United fans behind the goal, where he had just guided Mikael Silvestre’s cross past Oliver Kahn, he believed he had scored the winning goal.

However, those thoughts abruptly evaporated three minutes from time when Paulo Sergio scored a late goal, just as he had done at Old Trafford back in April, to earn Bayern a 1-1 draw.

‘‘I thought we would win when I scored because it was almost 90 minutes played,’’ said van Nistelrooy.

‘‘You think you have got the winning goal and three points for your club.

‘‘We got the goal with good play and that makes you think you will get all three points.

‘‘But they are a good side so when they get a chance it’s a goal.

‘‘At 87 minutes, for it to go 1-1 it’s disappointing, because I think in the second half we deserved to win.’’

Van Nistelrooy, who has taken his tally for the season to nine, tried to console himself with the thought that a draw against Bayern in their own backyard was still a fine result.

However, it didn’t work and he said: ‘‘In the end, to get one point is not a bad result for us.

‘‘Before the game, when you think you’re away in Munich, a point would be OK, but when you see the game I think there was more in it for us.

‘‘I thought we did a great job as a team. We worked so hard and defensively we did everything right. We felt we could have got more.’’

This latest repeat of the 1999 Champions League Final was a largely-disappointing encounter.

Bayern had the better of a poor first half before United, driven on by Roy Keane, fought back after the interval.

After van Nistelrooy scored, United were denied a second goal when Kahn touched a Keane shot on to a post.

Then, just as they had done when the sides drew 2-2 here in September 1998, Bayern grabbed a late equaliser when Robert Kovac fed Paulo Sergio and he slotted the ball home.

Bayern nearly stole a winner in stoppage time and Fabien Barthez made a fine stop to deny substitute Ciriaco Sforza.

Bayern’s England midfielder Owen Hargreaves felt a point apiece was just about right from the opening Group A game.

‘‘I think we can be happy with a point when you look at the whole game,’’ he said.

‘‘We may have dropped two points at home, but Manchester United are a great side and they’ve won the European Cup.

‘‘Now we have to go and play for three points when we face Nantes in our next match.’’