Tottenham threw away a two-goal lead in Germany while Manchester United failed to break down a tough Rangers outfit, as both English sides opened their Champions League campaigns with a draw.
Spurs got off to a flyer in Bremen as Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s ball over the top for Gareth Bale allowed the Welsh winger to get in behind the home defence and his cross looked destined for the foot of Peter Crouch but Petri Pasanen slid in front of the England striker and deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper.
Tottenham’s second came thanks to impressive new signing Rafael van der Vaart, his curling delivery from the left was met on the run by Crouch who guided the ball into the top corner.
Bremen grew in confidence as the game went on and nicked a goal before half-time through Hugo Almeida. The Portuguese star met Wesley’s looped ball into the box with his head and flicked the ball past Carlo Cudicini.
Just two minutes after the restart the delightful Marko Marin got the equaliser for the Germans as Tottenham’s defenders backed off the diminutive winger who cut inside and slammed the ball home.
At Old Trafford, Manchester United looked lacklustre as a much-changed side failed to find a way past a stubborn Rangers outfit.
The night was incredibly unspectacular but will be marred by a horrific ankle injury to Antonio Valencia, who after lengthy treatment left the field on a stretcher looking in a very bad way.
Elsewhere in the Champions League, Barcelona came from behind to beat Panathinaikos 5-1, Valencia thrashed Turkish side Buraspor 4-0 while Inter Milan and Twente, who are in Group A with Tottenham played out a 2-2 draw.
Benfica defeated Israeli side Hapoel Tel-Aviv 2-0, FC Copenhagen nicked a one nil win against Rubin Kazan, while Lyon beat Schalke by the scoreline.
