PHOTO - TASR/EPA

MILAN - Bayern Munich eased the pain they have carried around for the last two years by beating Valencia 5-4 on penalties after a European Cup final that finished 1-1 after extra time at the San Siro stadium last Wednesday. The Germans triumphed over Valencia after a match that promised so much and started so brightly ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time failed to produce a golden goal winner. The victory was a triumph for coach Ottmar Hitzfeld who becomes only the second man to win European club soccer‘s ultimate prize with two different clubs. Bayern‘s hero on the night was goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, one of six players in the same side beaten two years ago. He made three memorable saves in the shoot-out. Kahn also stopped a penalty by Zlatko Zahovic and made an astonishing save when he sent Amedeo Carboni‘s spot-kick crashing onto the bar. He was engulfed by his team mates at the end as the Valencia players sank to the turf in abject dejection for the second time in 12 months.

The Spaniards were beaten finalists for the second successive season after losing 3-0 to Real Madrid in Paris a year ago and there was no consoling Pellegrino, one of their better players during the match, six of whom also lost against Real last year.

But The Bayern won the hard way, finding themselves a goal down after only three minutes when Dutch referee Dick Jol ruled that Patrick Andersson had handled a shot from Valencia skipper Gaizko Mendieta despite being on the ground at the time. Mendieta stepped forward to take the penalty himself and give his side an early 1-0 advantage. Bayern wasted a golden opportunity to equalise three minutes later when Jocelyn Angloma sent Bayern skipper Stefan Effenberg crashing in the box. Mehmet Scholl, with five Champions League goals this season, failed to add to that total as Santiago Canizares saved his penalty with his legs, sending the ball high over the bar for a corner.

Despite some attractive midfield play from both sides in the opening period, few scoring chances were created. It duly came after 51 minutes when Carboni handled a cross from Bayern‘s Brazilian forward Giovane Elber and Jol awarded the third penalty of the match. Unlike Scholl, Effenberg made no mistake from the spot.

Bayern gradually took advantage of the tiring Mendieta and the largely ineffective Juan Sanchez to dominate the midfield. But neither team created another real scoring chance until Valencia substitute Zahovic found himself with only Kahn to beat six minutes from time.

A poor first touch saw the opportunity lost and although Zahovic had another half-chance after 87 minutes, the game went into extra time.

Chances fell to both sides without a winner looking likely and ultimately it was down to penalties. Bayern made a bad start, but later the chances were balanced. Then Thomas Linke put Bayern 5-4 ahead before Kahn made one final save from Pellegrino to seal victory and send the 40,000 Bayern fans in the stadium into ecstasy. REUTERS