LONDON, 26 February 2004 — A schoolboy howler by goalkeeper Oliver Kahn cost Bayern Munich an almost certain victory as they drew 1-1 with Real Madrid in the glamour tie of the Champions League’s first knockout round on Tuesday.

Holders AC Milan also had to settle for a draw in a goalless first leg at Sparta Prague, but there were wins for Arsenal, who beat Celta Vigo 3-2 in Spain, and Lokomotiv Moscow, who held on for a 2-1 home win over Monaco.

The night will be one to forget for Germany captain Kahn after he allowed a long-range free kick by Real’s Brazil wingback Roberto Carlos to slip under his body when he seemed to have the ball well under control.

Voted FIFA’s Player of the 2002 World Cup, Kahn made his blunder with just seven minutes to go at the Olympic Stadium after Dutch striker Roy Makaay had headed the hosts into a well-deserved lead in the 75th minute.

“It’s all quite regrettable and just fate for Oliver Kahn,” said Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. “He’s been excellent in recent weeks. It’s bitter.”

Real coach Carlos Queiroz preferred to look on the bright side of a distinctly lackluster performance from his expensively-assembled team. “You could say I am more satisfied with the result than with our performance,” Queiroz told reporters.

The away goal means Real, seeking their 10th European Cup, will fancy their chances of making the quarterfinals when they face the Germans at the Bernabeu in a fortnight’s time. Milan will rue a couple of missed chances by Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko in Prague but are confident of improving at the San Siro.

“I feel we are on the way to the quarterfinals,” said coach Carlo Ancelotti, whose team have scored just five times in nine European games since last season’s quarterfinals. The away goals rule will keep Monaco’s hopes up after their consolation strike by Fernando Morientes in a snow-swept game in Moscow.

Goals from Marat Izmailov and Vladimir Maminov looked to have secured a convincing win for the Russians, but the Spaniard’s header and a bad miss by Lokomotiv’s Nigerian substitute James Obiorah kept the French Ligue 1 leaders well alive.

The away goals rule will give little encouragement, though, to Celta Vigo who were outgunned by in-form Arsenal. Twice behind to goals from Brazilian midfielder Edu before losing to a late winner by France winger Robert Pires, the Spaniards know Arsenal can afford to lose 1-0 or 2-1 at Highbury and still reach the last eight.

Champions League Drop-Outs Prepare for Second Chance

A batch of high-profile Champions League drop-outs will aim to resurrect their European seasons today in UEFA Cup third round action.

Chief among them will be 1998 winners Inter Milan, 2000 winners Galatasaray and last year’s runners-up Celtic.

All three clubs failed to qualify for the first knockout stage of the Champions League after finishing third in their groups, and will be anxious to make the most of their “wild card” entry into European soccer’s second-ranking tournament.

Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven are also smarting from an early Champions League exit, having lost out on second place to Deportivo Coruna on head-to-head results.

The draw is not lacking for quality, with the likes of former European champions Barcelona, Olympique Marseille and Liverpool also in action, along with AS Roma and Spartak Moscow.

Inter Milan will be without Marco Materazzi for their tie with French club Sochaux after his two-month ban from Italian domestic football was extended to Europe. Istanbul club Galatasaray play Spanish club Villarreal. Celtic will be wary of the threat posed by giant-killers Teplice who they host at Parkhead.

PSV face Italian strugglers Perugia with coach Guus Hiddink warning against over confidence. Barcelona travel to Danish champions Brondby where former player Michael Laudrup is now coach.

Under-fire Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier remains defiant despite his side’s FA Cup exit to Portsmouth and nonexistent title challenge in England, but his critics will be ready to swoop if they fail to beat Levski Sofia at Anfield today.

In other stand-out third round ties, hard-up Parma, the 1999 winners, host Turkish club Genclerbirligi, while 2000 and 2001 Champions League finalists Valencia play Besiktas and Spartak Moscow meet Real Mallorca.

Supersub Hayter Sets New Hat Trick Record

Substitute James Hayter scored the fastest hat-trick in English Football League history as Bournemouth thrashed Wrexham 6-0 in their Second Division fixture at Dean Court on Tuesday.

Hayter came on as a substitute in the 84th minute and scored three goals in the space of two minutes and 20 seconds as the hosts, already 3-0 up, overpowered their Welsh visitors. The previous record quickest hat trick was scored by Jimmy Scarth of Gillingham against Leyton Orient in the old Third Division South back in November 1952.