Dons earn brave draw

A controversial penalty decision prevented a repeat of Aberdeen's famous victory over Bayern Munich after the German giants were twice stunned by teenagers in a vibrant 2-2 draw in the UEFA Cup at Pittodrie.

England Under-19 team-mates Josh Walker and Sone Aluko both gave Aberdeen the lead in the first half with Miroslav Klose replying during sustained pressure in between.

But Hamit Altintop levelled after Spanish referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez had penalised Alan Maybury for handball despite previously ignoring two similar Aberdeen appeals.

The decision deprived Aberdeen of the chance to hold on for another win over Bayern, who lost 3-2 at Pittodrie during the home side's triumphant European Cup Winners' Cup campaign in 1983.

The Dons made a promising start and were rewarded when they stunned the Bundesliga leaders with a 24th-minute opener crafted by the two on-loan teenagers.

Aluko held up a high ball before laying it off to Walker, and the 18-year-old Middlesbrough reserve curled a superb shot into the corner from more than 20 yards.

Klose then shot over from Altintop's low cross but he made amends with a simple equaliser in the 29th minute as he found the top corner following Luca Toni's head-on.

But just as Bayern appeared to have taken a grip of proceedings, the Dons regained the lead in the 41st minute as Lee Miller's deft flick released Aluko and he drilled the ball underneath Michael Rensing.

His Birmingham boss Alex McLeish was among the 1983 heroes paraded at half-time, but the current generation's hopes of creating their own piece of history were soon dashed when Ze Roberto's cross struck the hand of Maybury a few yards away and Gonzalez pointed to the spot.

Jamie Langfield saved Altintop's penalty but the Turkey midfielder was first to the rebound to net a 55th-minute leveller.