Simon Vukevic's second-half equaliser means Bolton have a tough task in the second leg after a 1-1 draw in their UEFA Cup last-16 clash against Sporting Lisbon at the Reebok Stadium.

Vukevic lashed home 20 minutes from time to cancel out Gavin McCann's 25th minute goal that had raised hopes of another famous Bolton victory in this season's unlikely UEFA Cup run.

Now Gary Megson's side will need to score at least once in the Estádio José Alvalade in a week's time if they are to continue their morale-boosting distraction from Premier League survival.

Bolton, who were forced to bring in Ali Al Habsi to replace Jussi Jaaskelainen after the keeper pulled out with an injury in the warm-up, started well and Matt Taylor should have done better with a far post header that ended tamely in the hands of Rui Patricio.

The Sporting keeper and Heider Helguson both needed treatment in the space of a couple of minutes, Rui Patricio after Helguson accidentally caught him in the face, with the keeper extracting a measure of revenge moments later when he clattered Helguson when he came out to clear a ball outside his penalty area.

Like the Bolton of old, the home side looked most threatening when they threw high balls into the box for Helguson and Kevin Davies to compete for, and it came as little surprise when the pair combined to set up McCann to fire Bolton in front.

Hunt's long free-kick into the box was flicked on by Davies to Helguson, who controlled the ball, held off his marker before attempting to lay-off a pass. The ball rebounded off Taylor into the path of McCann, who kept his calm to sidefoot home from 10 yards.

Sporting almost replied immediately, but playmaker Joao Moutinho curled over the crossbar when he was picked out unmarked by a quick throw with the Bolton defence standing off.

Seven minutes into the second half, Bolton came within a whisker of doubling their lead when Helguson got in front of his marker at an Ivan Campo long throw, only to head against the crossbar from close range.

But Sporting finally began to show their quality as the game went on, Vukevic clipping the crossbar with a sweet shot from a tight angle after cutting in to the penalty area from the right-hand side.

And moments later, the visitors got their equaliser, Vukevic playing a nifty, lightning-quick one-two with Tiui on the edge of the box before lashing home a fierce volley from 25 yards.

The Montenegrin continued his domination of the second half, twisting and turning Ricardo Gardner before firing in a right-foot shot from a tight angle which Al Habsi did well to push around the post.

Taylor prodded an instinctive effort straight at Rui Patricio from six yards out when the ball fell to him at a corner as the game opened up with the clock ticking down.

And the former Portsmouth man wasted a good chance at a free-kick in the dying seconds, blasting into the wall, the home side having to be content with a draw that would still surely have impressed the 25,664 at the Reebok.

Alex Sharratt / Eurosport