Draw at Home: UEFA CUP

Bayern Munich was held to a 1-1 tie at home by Zenit St. Petersburg, and Rangers drew 0-0 with Fiorentina in the opening legs of the UEFA Cup on Thursday. Bayern, the four-time European champion playing in the UEFA Cup for the first time since winning it in 1996, gave up an own-goal to allow the Russian champions to draw in Munich.

Bayern defender Lucio headed the ball into the net while trying to clear a shot from Victor Fayzulin in the 60th minute. “Making up a goal is difficult but possible,” Bayern forward Lukas Podolski said. “If not for that stupid goal we allowed, we might have scored a second.”

Franck Ribery had given Bayern the lead in the 18th minute, scoring on a rebound after his initial penalty kick was blocked by goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev. The penalty was given after Zenit defender Fernando Ricksen fouled Ze Roberto with a raised leg.

Zenit nearly scored in the 83rd when Fayzulin’s shot bounced off substitute goalkeeper Michael Rensing and then off Lucio. The ball was going into the net until Ze Roberto dived to clear on the line.

For Bayern, Lucio’s powerful 79th-minute shot was tipped over the crossbar by Malafeev, while striker Podolski had an injury-time shot that just missed the post.

Ricksen’s yellow card from the penalty will suspended him for next week’s second leg in St. Petersburg. Zenit, which is owned by gas giant Gazprom, knocked out Bayern’s Bundesliga rival, Bayer Leverkusen, in the quarterfinals. “We will get our chances in the second leg because Zenit likes to attack,” Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said. “Then we have to convert them.”

Bayern has already won the German Cup and is on target to win the Bundesliga. Having lost eight players to injury and suspension, Rangers looked tired in their match with Fiorentina. As well as battling for the league title, the club has already clinched the Scottish League Cup and reached the Scottish Cup final.

“We go away from home with confidence, knowing we can get goals away from home,” Rangers coach Walter Smith said.

“We were up against a brick wall,” Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli added. “The match is still open, but it could end up going to penalties. Rangers may have won their games away from home this season, but there’s always a first time for everything.”

The Fiorentina game was a rematch of the first European Cup Winners’ Cup. Fiorentina won it 4-1 on aggregate after a two-legged final in 1961. Rangers won the same competition in 1972 for their only European title.

Fiorentina reached the 1990 UEFA Cup final, losing to Juventus. Rangers, who played their 17th European game on Thursday, have not conceded a goal in UEFA Cup play this season. The club dropped down from the Champions League after the group stage.

The UEFA Cup final is on May 14 at the City of Manchester Stadium in northern England.(source: yahoo/ap)

Photo: Goalkeeper Vyatcheslav Malafeyev of Zenit St.Petersburg chats with his daughter after his team tied 1 -1 with FC Bayern Munich in their UEFA Cup semifinal first leg soccer match in Munich, southern Germany, Thursday, April 24, 2008.