Liverpool face an uphill battle if they are to continue this season's Champions League adventure.

Emile Heskey netted to give the Anfield side parity in the bedlam of the Ali Sami Yen stadium.

But it is another draw in what is proving to be a very tight group B - and that is unlikely to be enough.

With Roma beating Barcelona in the other group match, Liverpool now know threy must win both their final matches against the Italian and Spanish giants to have any hope of reaching the last eight.

It's been the same story all through this second phase. Liverpool created and wasted a string of chances, but again found goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon in stunning form.

The Turkish outfit have gone 19 European home matches without defeat, while Liverpool had not lost away in Europe for 13 matches and have produced their best UEFA Cup and Champions League performances on away territory.

Liverpool brought Vladimir Smicer into midfield, with Steven Gerrard injured, and Chris Kirkland in goal with Jerzy Dudek out.

Nick Barmby was on the bench, his first call-up since being injured before Christmas, and Milan Baros also got a chance as substitute.

Galatasaray, with four key men suspended and three injured, had new signing Radu Niculescu up front and also brought in Arif Erdem and Akman Ayhan from the side that drew 0-0 at Anfield last week.

Danny Murphy was bombarded with plastic bottles and debris as he tried to take an early corner, before Chris Kirkland made a fine one-handed save at the other end from an Arif Erdem shot.

Murphy, an all-action inspiration, almost got a touch to a Sami Hyypia knockdown from Jamie Carragher's free-kick, but Mondragon punched bravely away.

The Colombian keeper turned a John Arne Riise header round a post a minute later and from the corner, again arrowed in by Murphy, Riise headed over, unchallenged.

Liverpool were subjected to high speed running from midfield, and conceded a string of free-kicks.

But it was Mondragon again who stopped Liverpool in their tracks when Owen put Vladimir Smicer clear in the box, but the keeper saved well - just as he did so often at Anfield last week.

Somehow Liverpool survived on 25 minutes when Carragher sliced a clearance straight up into the air. Kirkland kicked away and Hasan Sas' header was cleared off the line by Hyypia.

The tightly-marked Owen created and missed the best chance of the first half, taking a pass from Smicer, cutting inside two players and curling a clever shot inches wide of the far post.

Liverpool pressed instantly after the break and Mondragon made crucial saves first when Owen was put clear by Murphy, and then when Riise was set up by Smicer.

On the hour, Riise was next to have a glorious chance - again set up by Smicer - but again the Gala keeper got his considerable frame in the way.

Liverpool were in control for the first lengthy spell, Gala were penned on the edge of their box, but the home side were still dangerous with their pace and breaks.

On 65 minutes Erdem got down the left and crossed for Niculescu to send in a header that Kirkland saved.

Now it was Liverpool's turn to be penned back, and Henchoz needed all his strength to keep the ball away from Kirkland in the air.

But on 70 minutes it was fired in again by Gustavo Victoria, and Niculescu crashed a near-post header home to give Gala the lead.

It was cruel on Liverpool after again creating a long list of chances, and as if to underline the point a minute later Smicer missed from inside the six-yard box from a cross by Riise.

Soon after Jari Litmanen came on for Smicer, and was directly involved in Liverpool's 78th-minute equaliser.

Riise's throw was controlled cleverly by the Finn, and it allowed Heskey the chance to blast the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

Owen looked to be pulled down in the box in the final minutes, while at the other end Carragher hurled himself at Sebastien Perez to block a close-range effort.

In the final frenzied minutes Victoria was booked for chopping down Owen and a minute later Korkmaz was cautioned for a foul on Heskey.

But the one thing needed by both sides, a decisive goal, never came.

Teams

Galatasaray: Mondragon, Bulent Korkmaz, Erdem, Goktan, Sas, Victoria, Perez, Akman, Fleurquin, Niculescu (Aykut 79), Penbe.

Subs Not Used: Inan, Inceefe, Suat, Sabri, Sedat, Jersson.

Booked: Victoria, Bulent Korkmaz.

Goals: Niculescu 71.

Liverpool: Kirkland, Xavier, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Smicer (Litmanen 74), Murphy, Hamann, Riise, Owen, Heskey.

Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Baros, Barmby, McAllister, Biscan, Wright.

Booked: Hamann, Heskey.

Goals: Heskey 79.

Att: 39,362

Ref: Urs Meier (Switzerland).