Ajax make point to grab UEFA slot
 |  Hatem Trabelsi of Ajax avoids the boot as his side make the UEFA Cup |
| |
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- Ajax Amsterdam qualified for the UEFA Cup after finishing third in Champions League Group C with a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Ajax pipped Maccabi Tel Aviv for a place in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup because of a better head-to-head record after both teams finished with four points from six games.
The Israelis drew 1-1 with group winners Juventus, who had already reached for the Champions League knockout stage along with Bayern.
Roy Makaay gave Bayern a ninth-minute lead but midfielder Tomas Galasek equalised seven minutes before the break. Striker Nicolae Mitea then put Ajax ahead in the 64th minute before Michael Ballack headed Bayern level 12 minutes from time.
Bayern started without the injured Willy Sagnol and Hasan Salihamidzic but took the lead after nine minutes when Julien Escude headed the ball to Makaay, who fired the ball past goalkeeper Hans Vonk.
Eight minutes later the home side, who started with captain Rafael van der Vaart on the bench and a three-man attack, created their first chance when defender Hatem Trabelsi came in from the right flank and fired a shot from outside the box but Oliver Kahn blocked the ball with one hand.
Ajax needed 25 minutes to settle before Wesley Sneijder set up Ryan Babel but the 17-year-old fired wide.
Throughout the first half it was obvious Ajax would need some luck to survive and that is what Ronald Koeman's team had seven minutes before the break when Galasek's deflected shot beat Kahn.
The Dutch champions started the second half strongly and Mitea out them ahead following a pass by Sneijder before Ballack earned Bayern a point by heading in a superb cross from Ze Roberto.
Battled valiantly
Maccabi Tel Aviv battled valiantly with Juventus but the result was not good enough to keep their European season alive.
Maccabi needed to better Ajax Amsterdam's result on the night for a third place finish and took the lead with a Barukh Dego penalty in the 30th minute after striker Emile Mbamba was brought down by Fabio Cannavaro.
Juve equalized when Alessandro del Piero struck with a close range shot in the 71st minute.
The only consolation for Maccabi was that they became the first team in the group to score or take a point off Juve, who won their opening five matches 1-0.
