Makaay on target, Görlitz off as Reds held

A typical Roy Makaay strike earned Bayern a point in Felix Magath's first home game as coach against determined visitors Hertha Berlin on Saturday, the Reds finishing with ten men after Andi Görlitz' late dismissal.

Stunned silence fell over the 58,000 crowd drawn to the Olympic stadium for the home premiere as playmaker Marcelinho fired the visitors in front after 15 minutes, a lead they comfortably held until the break.

Coach Magath obviously used some choice words in the dressing room as a very different Bayern took the field for the second half, Roy Makaay levelling on 47 minutes following great work by veteran Mehmet Scholl and sub Roque Santa Cruz.

But the visitors, ably marshalled by Brazil ace Marcelinho and fellow countryman Gilberto, restricted Bayern to half-chances after that and the home side were foced to settle for a share of the points, especially after Görlitz received his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

Ever good for a surprise, Magath chose to change a winning team and brought in the experience of Scholl for Roque Santa Cruz. "I believe it'll make us more flexible, because I want to see more shots on goal from midfield," the coach explained.

Berlin matched Bayern's Brazilian pair of Lucio and Zé Roberto with a Samba duo of their own, stylish midfielders Marcelinho and Gilberto, and coach Falko Götz also gave a start to outspoken front man Fredi Bobic.

To the dismay of the home crowd, the visitors had the best of a lively opening, Marcelinho and Gilberto passing with supreme accuracy and forcing Lucio into two important early interventions before Wichniarek blasted over with only Kahn to beat.

It came as no real surprise when golden-booted Marcelinho opened the scoring on the quarter-hour, collecting Dardai's lobbed pass and volleying past Kahn after being played onside by Salihamidzic.

Deisler tried his luck from long range a couple of times as the Reds sought a swift reply but Berlin cleverly closed ranks and the home midfield was struggling to fire on all cylinders.

Makaay swerved one just past keeper Fiedler's right-hand upright on the half-hour, but Magath's men seemed to get in each other's way in a crowded midfield and the visitors protected their lead to half-time.

Magath clearly had to make a change and Roque Santa Cruz replaced Zé for the second period. The reward was instantaneous: the Paraguay man accepted Scholl's defence-splitting ball and centred for Makaay to coolly level just two minutes after the restart.

Bayern were a side transformed now, running and chasing like men possessed, and Hertha were reduced to a series of fouls 20 metres from goal to stem the tide, although neither Scholl nor Ballack could capitalise on the free-kick opportunities.
Scholl (63) and Santa Cruz (65) both had chances although Bobic (67) and Wichniarek a minute later came close on the break, before the increasingly influential Scholl produced a mazy dribble on 72 minutes, former Reds star Niko Kovac just halting him at the death.

Owen Hargreaves got a run-out in place of Deisler for the last ten minutes, and the England man combined well with Ballack only for Fielder to pip Makaay to the loose ball.

Scholl superbly teed up Makaay six minutes from time but the Dutchman's shot on the turn flew over, and there was more woe for the Reds when Görlitz collected a second yellow and his marching orders after arriving far too late on Gilberto.

Bayern shrugged off the setback and Makaay missed a glorious chance to seal the points as his flicked header drifted wide with a minute left, but despite a frantic last two minutes the home side had to be satisfied with a draw.