O'Neill rues missed opportunity

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill was left ruing what might have been against Bayern Munich after his team let slip a 1-0 lead and left the Olympic Stadium with nothing.

Alan Thompson put the Hoops ahead in the second half but a volley from Roy Makaay brought the German champions level.

Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side then claimed a winner when Makaay’s inswinging cross eluded Michael Ballack and deceived Magnus Hedman, creeping past the Swede at his far post.

The Northern Irishman told Sky Sports: “We got ourselves in front against one of the best sides in Europe. It took a wonder-goal to make it 1-1 and even then we were doing absolutely fine but we conceded a sloppy goal at the end.

“There might have been a tinge of disappointment to come away with a point and in the end we didn’t get anything. It was a great, great effort, we were disciplined, scored a goal and controlled the game.

“It looked like they’d ran out of ideas which is a massive statement to make about a team which won the Champions League two years ago. We should take something from it and now we have five games to turn it around.

“The result is a body blow because we’ve dropped three points in a game which we were comfortable in.

“You need a bit of luck and it deserted us at the end tonight. But they came out and had a go, I’m disappointed we’ve got nothing out of the match but now we must concentrate on next European game when it comes around.”