Makaay double breaks Celtic's hearts

Bayern Munich 2 Celtic 1

Roy Makaay’s dramatic double cruelly denied Celtic one of their best-ever European results in tonight’s Champions League Group A opener.

Alan Thompson had put last season’s UEFA Cup finalists ahead in the Olympic Stadium, but two from Makaay left the visitors heartbroken.

Bayern drafted in Michael Ballack, Willy Sagnol, Ze Roberto and top scorer Claudio Pizarro after being out at the weekend, but early on they lacked the sparkle that took them to the European Cup triumph in 2001.

They did catch light after the break, but Thompson looked to have put last season’s UEFA Cup finalists on their way to a famous victory.

But Makaay fired Bayern level before snatching a late winner to kick-start their season.

Bayern expected to come out of the traps quickly in the first half, but the dreaded onslaught did not happen.

Celtic threatened first on the break when Didier Agathe sprinted clear of Bixente Lizarazu down the right and squared to Chris Sutton, whose shot was diverted to safety by Robert Kovac’s challenge.

Celtic threatened again in the 15th minute when Sutton was within inches from getting on the end of Stilian Petrov’s free-kick before Thompson blazed high over the crossbar.

Oliver Kahn had to race off his line in the 18th minute to head Thompson’s long ball away and prevent Larsson from nipping in.

The first real chance came Celtic’s way after Sagnol had given the ball away, but Sutton was unable to pick out John Hartson in the centre.

Celtic continued to push forward and in the 41st minute weekend match winner Bobo Balde forced Kahn to acrobatically tip his header over from Thompson’s cross.

Owen Hargreaves then come to the rescue of the home side moments later by booting the ball out of the six-yard box after Hartson had headed Henrik Larsson’s ball towards Sutton.

Bayern stepped up a couple of gears after half-time and Makaay missed a glorious opportunity to put them ahead after three minutes.

Thomas Linke flicked on Ze Roberto’s cross to the unmarked Dutchman, but from just six yards he headed over.

Moments later Ze Roberto squandered an even better chance when Makaay repaid the favour by picking him out in the centre, but Ze Roberto managed to head wide.

Celtic stunned Bayern by hitting them on the break in the 57th minute.

Bayern were caught short in defence as Agathe swung an inviting cross towards the back post and even though Hartson missed it Thompson stole in behind to head in off the upright and past Kahn.

But Bayern would have levelled in the 62nd minute, but for more terrible finishing.

The unmarked Claudio Pizarro headed Ze Roberto’s corner back into the centre, but Hasan Salihamidzic headed wide from six yards.

Surprisingly O’Neill was the first manager to make a change when he replaced the tired legs of Hartson with young midfielder Liam Miller and moved Sutton into attack.

The home side were clearly shaken and they should have fallen further behind in the 71st minute.

Thompson’s corner was allowed to bounce inside the six-yard box and Balde hooked the ball over with Kahn out of his goal.

But Celtic paid a harsh price for that as Makaay fired an unstoppable volley past Magnus Hedman and into the bottom corner in the 72nd minute.

He had just seconds earlier fired wide from an identical position, but after Stanislav Varga’s careless clearance from Sagnol’s cross, he made no mistake second time around.

That prompted the late arrival of the Bayern charge and Makaay headed wide from the edge of the area in the 82nd minute.

Ze Roberto squandered another brilliant opportunity two minutes later as Celtic desperately tried to hang on for a share of the points.

But Makaay’s cross drifted past Hedman and left Celtic heartbroken.

Ballack almost compounded Celtic’s misery in the dying seconds, but Hedman turned his long-range drive around the post.