Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld's inspired decision to bring on Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz and Hasan Salihamidzic saw the latter set up the former to grab the equaliser in the 74th minute.

Earlier Croat striker Ivica Mornar had looked set to end Anderlecht's seven-game winless streak in the group stages - dating back to victory over Real Madrid two years ago - when he struck home in the 53rd minute as the Belgians took advantage of Claudio Pizarro's sending-off in the first-half.

But Santa Cruz's powerful far-post header from Salihamidzic's brilliant right wing cross beat the Anderlecht keeper Daniel Zitka easily and gave Bayern a share of the points.

"I am very relieved," said Hitzfeld. "Anderlecht are strong at home and when you lose a man after 35 minutes it makes things even more difficult.

"Pizarro didn't deserve the red card, but when you have already been warned once you shouldn't go into challenges so naively.

"In the second half we were better organised and after we equalised I thought we could even have got the victory."

Mornar had struck after superb work by Ivory Coast forward Dindane Aruna, who slipped the ball past Robert Kovacs on the by-line and, instead of going for glory himself, saw Oliver Kahn advancing on him and slipped it back to Mornar - the 29-year-old made no mistake from six yards out.

The goal prompted Hitzfeld to send on an extra striker in Santa.

Bayern's Brazilian Ze Roberto wasted the best chance when he was played in well by Ballack but fired high and wide when he had more time to collect himself.

However the balance of the game changed completely when Pizarro was sent off in the 36th minute for his second yellow card inside a minute after elbowing Finnish defender Hannu Tihinen.