Raul earns Schalke a 1-1 draw at Valencia

VALENCIA, Spain (AP) - Raul Gonzalez extended his Champions League record to 69 goals to give Schalke a 1-1 draw at Valencia Tuesday in the first-leg of their last-16 series.

Raul - returning to Spain for the first time since his summer move from Real Madrid - held off defender David Navarro in the 64th minute before slotting a shot inside the far post beyond outstretched goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

Valencia had taken a 17th-minute lead at its Mestalla Stadium when Roberto Soldado redirected Jeremy Mathieu's deep cross past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer at the near post.

But Raul's record 71st goal in UEFA competitions allowed the Bundesliga team to take a valuable away goal home in the knockout stage matchup.

Schalke played the final minute with 10 men after Lukas Schmitz was sent off for a second booking, but former Spain striker Raul put the Bundesliga team in control of the tie after gathering Jose Manuel Jurado's pass inside the area for the type of finish that characterized his 18 years at Madrid. Raul now leads AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi by one goal in the overall UEFA tally.

"If you give him a chance he'll do what he did," Soldado said after scoring his sixth goal of the competition. "We knew they were very dangerous, they have outstanding players."

Valencia went on the attack from the start but the visitors were nearly ahead after nine minutes when Klaas-Jan Huntelaar missed with only Guaita to beat.

Valencia's pressure paid off soon after as Aritz Aduritz set Mathieu off along the left with a well-played ball that Soldado fired past Germany 'keeper Neuer.

Guaita judged Peer Kluge's looping header well as the Valencia keeper palmed the ball off the crossbar and out in the 26th.

Valencia dominated the chances until Raul's equalizer as Neuer denied a long-range drive from Mehmet Topal in the 28th, Soldado headed wide of the far post and Aduritz sliced a hard shot into the side netting.

Guaita dived to stop Raul's shot in the 48th before the former Spain striker scored his 14th career goal against Valencia, which will need to score at the Veltins Arena in the return leg to have any chance of advancing to the quarterfinals.

Wingers Joaquin Sanchez and Vicente Rodriguez came on soon after as Valencia pressed for a second, although it had trouble organizing its attack.

Schalke responded with by bringing on 17-year-old Julian Drexler in the 78th just after Aduritz shot wide off the break.

But Schalke held out with substitute Junmin Hao forcing Guaita into a fingertip save in the 90th.

Valencia hasn't beaten Schalke in three games at the Mestalla, with all ending in draws. Its last win over a German opponent on home soil was in 1996.

Leaders Bayern share the spoils with Schalke

BERLIN: Bayern Munich had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Schalke 04 on Saturday, a result that cut their lead in the Bundesliga to a single point.

Ivan Rakitic beat Oliver Kahn with a low shot in the 36th minute to stun the 66,000 crowd at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern equalised with a Miroslav Klose header nine minutes after the break.

After five games, Bayern lead with 11 points, one ahead of Arminia Bielefeld and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bielefeld won 4-2 at home to Hansa Rostock while Frankfurt enjoyed a 2-1 thriller at home to Hamburg SV.

Champions VfB Stuttgart joined Schalke on seven points with a 3-0 win at home to Energie Cottbus.

With Luca Toni back and fit, Bayern looked capable of winning handsomely.

Toni, however, wasted his first chance in the seventh minute, dragging a shot wide after being put clean through on goal.

Klose then missed two perfect opportunities to play in his strike partner after neat build-up play and Christian Lell fluffed a good opening at the far post.

Schalke were struggling to hold on when from nowhere they took the lead.

Rakitic, fresh from his first two international games for Croatia, controlled the ball 25 metres out and swept in low at Kahn's right-hand post for a brilliant opener.

Kahn kept Bayern in the game by saving from Rakitic when the 19-year-old raced through on goal a minute before the break.

Bayern pressed hard and got the equaliser from a Franck Ribery free kick on the right. Toni's header forced a fine one-handed save from Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer and Klose pounced on the rebound for his fourth goal of the season.

Bayern had lots of possession but created few clear chances and Schalke might easily have claimed victory as two Christian Pander free kicks created confusion in the Bayern area.

“The first half was good,” Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld told reporters. “We didn't take our chances, though, and after that we didn't do enough. I think both sides deserved their point.” – Reuters