European Football

MUNICH, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich made an unconvincing start to their Bundesliga title defence on Friday, drawing 2-2 at home to Hamburg SV in the opening game of the season.

Playing their first league match under new coach Juergen Klinsmann, Bayern took an early 2-0 lead through Bastian Schweinsteiger and a Lukas Podolski penalty.

Hamburg, with their own new coach in Dutchman Martin Jol, hit back thanks to two former Bayern players.

Paolo Guerrero headed home in the first half before Piotr Trochowski converted a penalty after 57 minutes.

Still without injured striker Luca Toni and playmaker Franck Ribery, Bayern looked second best for much of the game and were fortunate to claim a point as Hamburg twice struck the post.

The visitors started brightly and could have taken the lead when Trochowski hit the woodwork with an 11th-minute shot.

STRANDED KEEPER

Within 60 seconds Schweinsteiger capitalised on a deflection off Hamburg defender Bastian Reinhardt before smashing the ball past stranded goalkeeper Frank Rost.

Jol's men barely had time to react before Bayern went 2-0 up. Joris Mathijsen tugged Schweinsteiger's shirt and Podolski netted from the penalty spot.

However, Bayern were from convincing at the back and conceded in the 25th minute when unmarked Peruvian international Guerrero headed in a Trochowski cross.

Hamburg went close to an equaliser at the start of the second half when Ivica Olic hit the post.

Moments later the Croatian forward went down under a challenge from right back Christian Lell and Trochowski stepped up to convert the penalty.

The closest Bayern came to a late winner was a powerful long-range shot from new signing Tim Borowski that was blocked by defender Vincent Kompany, who was recalled from the Beijing Olympics earlier in the week.