Wounded hero Becks comes to the rescue
Still sporting the legacy of his recent skirmish with Alex Ferguson, Beckham delivered the trademark corner from which Wes Brown nodded home the third-minute opener, then provided Ruud van Nistelrooy with the late chance to notch his 21st European goal for the club.
It enabled United to maintain their 100% Group D record and take them to within a single victory of a quarter-final place for the ninth successive season.
United were quickly onto the offensive, with Ciro Ferrara forced to head Gary Neville’s cross clear under pressure from Roy Keane.
The Italians were not so fortunate when United forced their second corner after just three minutes.
This time Beckham curled it to the far post where Brown rose highest and sent a bouncing header powering into the goal.
It was the first goal of Brown’s senior career Juve at least managed to get themselves into the game after their early setback, with Zalayeta causing Gary Neville a few problems down the visitors’ left and Fabien Barthez did well to collect a cross from the newcomer, which had looped off a home boot.
Alessio Tacchinardi had to be alert to ensure an intentional Paul Scholes dummy did not allow Neville’s cross to reach Ruud van Nistelrooy, scorer of 10 European goals already this season.
Edgar Davids was needlessly booked for delaying a Keane free-kick just inside his own half but the home side could make little of the opportunity.
In fact, with van Nistelrooy and Giggs briefly switching positions, United temporarily found themselves on the back foot, Pavel Nedved flashing a long-range shot just wide.
Scholes was booked for chopping down Tacchinardi after Davids had chased back down the touchline and robbed Giggs with a superb tackle.
A brilliant crossfield pass from Beckham released Neville on the right flank but Scholes could not get on the end of the cross.
Play was becoming uncomfortably stretched as far as United were concerned, with Davids looking the major midfield force.
Nedved scooped a poor shot over after Camoranesi had squared a free-kick to the edge of the United box and just before the half-time whistle Tacchinardi was booked for protesting after Nedved had been sent flying inside the penalty area.
Camoranesi sent Zenoni running into the penalty area as Juve started the second period as they had finished the first.
Silvestre failed with the first tackle, but Brown succeeded with the second, conceding a corner which Ferrara nodded harmlessly over.
Barthez punched a Nedved corner clear as Juve continued to press and the French keeper was then called on to keep out a Trezeguet header Silvestre was replaced by John O’Shea, a legacy of that initial mis-judged tackle, which had required treatment.
Rio Ferdinand elected to nod a Gianluca Pessotto cross behind with Barthez already committed, but from the corner United broke forward, Giggs leading the charge and feeding Scholes, who was brought down by Davids as he tried to turn inside.
The Dutchman avoided paying the ultimate penalty, then saw Beckham smash his free-kick into the wall, allowing Juve to escape altogether.
United should have doubled their lead on the hour mark when Van Nistelrooy latched onto a weak back header and bore down on Chimenti’s goal. Electing to take the ball round the keeper, the prolific Dutch striker had his legs taken away for what should have been a certain penalty.
Instead, referee Kim Milton Nielsen played the advantage, believing Scholes was about to tap into an empty net.
Unfortunately for United and the hapless official, Scholes smashed his shot onto the post from an acute angle, leaving the home camp intensely annoyed as Nielsen then waved play on.
Trezeguet was taken off and Ruben Olivera thrown on as Juve tried to regain their hold on the game.
A Nedved cross was nodded just wide by Zalayeta after Davids had broken up another United foray forward.
United were soon defending again and had van Nistelrooy to thank for gifting Zalayeta possession on halfway.
Nedved quickly assumed responsibility, feeding Olivera inside the box, only for Neville to come to the rescue with a last-ditch tackle.
A brilliant Giggs back-heel from O’Shea’s square pass almost set Scholes free in the box, but Chimenti raced from his goal to gather.
It was Scholes’ last involvement as Solskjaer was sent on in his place with 10 minutes remaining, the England midfielder appearing to be nursing a groin injury.
Keane was immediately booked for a foul on Davids, but United defended the free-kick strongly and brushed away the danger.
The visitors still fancied their chances, but those hopes were cruelly dashed five minutes from time when Beckham ended the match as he started it, delivering the looping long ball which exposed the gaping hole in the Juve defence which van Nistelrooy strode through to steer home United’s match-clinching second.
With the match entering stoppage time, Forlan replaced Giggs, himself sporting a nasty cut above the eye.
An instant later, Nedved’s speculative effort flew into the far corner with Barthez apparently unsighted.
It was a nervous last minute for United, but desperately, they survived.
MAN UTD: Barthez, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Beckham, Keane, Butt, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy.
JUVENTUS: Chimenti, Pessotto, Montero, Ferrara, Zenoni, Nedved, Davids, Tacchinardi, Conte, Camoranesi, Trezeguet.
Referee: K Nielson (Denmark).
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