ABERDEEN, Scotland (AFP) - Bayern Munich twice came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie on Thursday and deny Aberdeen a stunning victory in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup.

In front of a lively crowd of 20,047, the Dons had been hoping to emulate their 1983 predecessors, who defeated Bayern 3-2 here on their way to winning the Cup Winners Cup.

At half time, a home victory looked to a possibility with Aberdeen leading 2-1.

Eighteen-year-olds Josh Walker and Sone Aluko, on-loan from English Premiership sides Middlesbrough and Birmingham respectively, had put the Dons in front at the break, with German World Cup striker Miroslav Klose scoring in between for Munich.

However, Bayern were awarded a soft second half penalty, and although Hamit Altintop's effort was blocked by goalkeeper Jamie Langfield, the Turkish international smashed the rebound home.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood believed a draw was a fair result.

"It was a wonderful first half performance and it says a lot that we're disappointed we've not beaten one of the richest clubs in the world," said Calderwood.

"We got in about them, tried to attack and I think we dominated the first half. We scored two wonderful goals and a draw was the least we deserved."

Bayern manager Ottmar Hitzfeld praised Aberdeen for their performance but was confident his side would now qualify for the last 16.

"Aberdeen started very well, played with a lot of heart and, although they might have been a bit lucky to get a draw, they deserved their luck," he said.

"We're now in a good position to go through. We have two away goals, are playing in front of our home crowd and are now favourites in this tie."

Aberdeen were huge underdogs going into the game, with an extensive injury list adding to their recent poor form - having lost 5-1 to Celtic and 4-1 to Dundee United in the previous week.

However, with only 30 seconds on the clock they had strong claims for a penalty waved away by Spanish referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez when Aluko's cross from the left appeared to strike the arm of Bayern defender Andreas Otti.

Christian Lell was first to test the Aberdeen goalkeeper with a 25-yard drive but Langfield was equal to the task making a fine one-handed save to turn the ball round the post.

But in the 24th minute the Pittodrie side sensationally opened the scoring with a fantastic strike.

Aluko had tried to create space for a shot but when the Bayern defence blocked his way he laid the ball back out to Walker and from 25 yards the young midfielder curled a sweet shot beyond German goalkeeper Michael Rensing and into the corner of the net.

Two minutes later Munich should have been back on level terms.

Italian striker Luca Toni slid the ball through to Turkish international Altintop who cut it back from the byline for Klose but from only six yards the German international smashed it high over.

The visitors were not to be denied for long, however, and in the 30th minute they were back on level terms.

Toni flicked on a high ball and Klose sprinted behind Aberdeen's wrong-footed defence to smash a first-time right foot shot into the roof of the net.

Aberdeen again got their noses in front in the 41st minute.

Aluko muscled his way through the centre of the Bayern defence and sent a left-foot shot from 18 yards through goalkeeper Rensing.

In the 54th minute, Bayern were gifted a penalty when Alan Maybury was ruled to have intentionally handled Ze Roberto's cross.

Altintop took the kick and although his penalty was straight at Langfield who palmed the ball back out, the Turkish international was first to react to fire into the empty net.