BRAVE DONS KNOCKED OUT BY BAYERN

BAYERN MUNICH 5 ABERDEEN 1 (AGG 7-3)

Scorers:
BAYERN MUNICH- Lucio (12), Van Buyten (36), Podolski (71, 77), Van Bommel (85)
ABERDEEN- Lovell (83)

Aberdeen's European hopes ended in Munich last night as a star-studded Bayen side put Aberdeen to the sword.

The Germans dominated the first half and were two-up through Lucio and Van Buyten at half time. Podolski then hit a double in the second half, before Lovell pulled one back for the Dons. Van Bommel then compounded Aberdeen's misery by adding a late fifth for the men from Bavaria. Despite this result the Donscan still look back on their European campaign with pride and there is no shame in going out to a team of the quality of Bayern.

Jimmy Calderwood made three changes to that side that got beat by Hibernian on Sunday. Walker, Considine and Foster returned at the expense of Mair, De Visscher and Maguire, who all had to settle for a place on the bench.

Aberdeen kicked off but it was the Germans who had the upper hand in the early stages, and they almost took the lead in the 2nd minute when Toni laid the ball off for Podolski who crashed the ball off the bar with Langfield well beaten. Then in the 9th minute Langfield comfortably saved a shot from the dangerous Podolski.

At the other end Aberdeen had their first attempt at goal in the 11th minute, but Severin fired the ball well over.

Seconds later Maybury conceded a free kick twenty yards out after bringing down Kross and it proved costly to the Dons. The ball was rolled to Brazilian defender LUCIO who bulleted the ball past Langfield into the net. It did look like Langfield could of done better, but the free kick was brilliantly struck.

Langfield did make amends in the 18th minute when he produced a tremendous block from Altintop's shot after the Turk had been played in by Podolski.

Aberdeen should of equalised in the 23rd minute when Mackie was sent clear through on goal when a long ball over the top split the Munich defence wide open. Mackie's shot beat Kahn in the Bayern goal but rolled agonisingly past the far post.

A defensive mistake by Considine in the 25th minute gave Toni an opportunity to score but Langfield came to the rescue again, making a fine block. Bayern were well on top and a series of corners were desperately defended by the Dons. Langfield then made another fine save from a long range effort from Ottl.

The Dons fell two behind in the 36th minute. Aluko made a rash challenge to concede a free kick at the left hand side of the penalty area and from the resultant kick VAN BUYTEN headed home from six yards. Again Langfield will have felt he could of done better.

At the other end Walker tried his luck from distance and did not trouble Kahn.

The Germans ended the half the way they started it and a minute from the interval Langfield saved from Altintop then they hit the post with their last kick of the half.

Aberdeen had the first opportunity of the second half in the 50th minute. Mackie broke on the right and the ball fell to Maybury, who tried his luck from thirty yards out but was well wide of the target.

Aberdeen thought that they had pulled a goal back in the 56th minute when Mackie scored only for it to be ruled out for a marginal offside against Lee Miller.

Aberdeen were certainly playing better in the second half but the Germans still looked dangerous and they called Jamie Langfield into action for the umpteenth time in the 67th minute.

It was all over for the Reds in the 71st minute when Bayern scored their third. Klose broke clear and his initial shot was blocked by Langfield, but the rebound fell straight to PODOLSKI and he made no mistake in putting the ball into the net.

Six minutes later PODOLSKI scored his second and Bayern's fourth. Schweinsteiger swung in a corner and the German striker was there to knock the ball into the net.

But all credit to the Dons as they kept going forward in search of a consolation goal. De Visscher wasted a good chance in the 81st minute and then a minute late Nicholson brought the best out of Kahn. But the Dons were not to be denied and they pulled a goal back in the 83rd minute. De Visscher played in a free kick into the danger area and LOVELL ghosted in at the back post to head the ball past the German goalkeeper.

Munich hit back two minutes later when a low drive by VAN BOMMEL gave Langfield no chance as it flew low into the net.

So Aberdeen's UEFA Cup adventure is over for this season and hopefully it will not be so long before the Dons enter the European arena again.

Team Lineups:

Bayern Munich

01 Kahn
02 Sagnol
03 Lucio
05 Van Buyten
23 Jansen
08 Altintop (75 Schweinsteiger)
16 Ottl
17 Van Bommel
39 Kroose (Sosa 69)
09 Toni (Klose 65)
11 Podolski

Substitutes
22 Rensing, 18 Klose, 19 Schlaudraff, 20 Sosa, 21 Lahm, 31 Schweinsteiger, 30 Lell

Aberdeen

01 Langfield
28 Maybury
05 Diamond
21 Considine
14 Foster
08 Nicholson
26 Aluko (Lovell 79)
06 Severin
27 Walker (Maguire 62)
10 Mackie (De Visscher 72)
16 Miller

Substitutes
20 Soutar, 09 Lovell, 15 Touzani, 18 Mair, 22 Maguire, 23 Bus, 24 De Visscher

Ref: Robert Malek (Poland)

Att: 66000

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