Understrength United humbled

Maccabi Haifa 3 Manchester United 0

Yaniv Katan put the home side in front with a bullet strike before the interval and, after Diego Forlan had struck the crossbar, Raimondas Zutauttas repeated the feat after 56 minutes. United battled hard but Yakubu Ayegbeni completed their misery when he tucked home a penalty after Ricardo had brought down Zutauttas.

The vastly understrength visitors had produced an encouraging display, with Paul Scholes going close before Katan took advantage of Maccabi Haifa’s best spell of the half, lashing home from 25 yards four minutes before the interval.

Eighteen-year-old Kieran Richardson was given his first Manchester United start as Alex Ferguson fielded a much-weakened team.

New boy Richardson wasn’t lacking in confidence either, picking up the ball 40 yards out, then advancing forward before drifting an ambitious shot wide. The young Londoner then did well defensively, getting back to put off former Wimbledon man Walid Badeer as he attempted to reach Avishay Zano’s cross. Scholes and Forlan were possibly too intricate as they attempted a snappy passing move 20 yards from the Maccabi goal before Silvestre darted onto Richardson’s return pass, winning a corner which Rio Ferdinand met, but conceding a free-kick in the process. hen Scholes took a pass from Forlan and unleashed a 25-yard thunderbolt which Awate tipped over. Forlan failed to get a firm connection on Gary Neville’s cross, then Fortune ran out of room when he dribbled into the area.

Silvestre tried his luck from an acute angle as United continued to press but when Maccabi next pushed forward, John O’Shea had his name taken for flattening the imposing Ayegbeni, Adoram Keise floating the free-kick harmlessly over. O’Shea won his next battle with Ayegbeni, robbing the Nigerian 20 yards from the United goal, then the Irish defender stretched to prevent Yaniv Katan’s pass causing damage.

Forlan’s square pass provided Richardson with an excellent shooting chance eight minutes before the break but the youngster snatched at the opportunity and a deflection off a Maccabi defender only took it closer to the visitors’ goal. Silvestre was booked for a foul on Avishay Zano, Phil Neville heading away Ayegbeni’s cross after the free-kick had drifted beyond the far post. Ricardo’s reactions were tested again when Badeer completely missed Zano’s rolled ball into the area, Ayegbeni lashing in a close range shot which Ricardo saved with his chest.

It proved to be a brief respite for the visitors though as Katan, picking the ball up 40 yards out, side-stepped O’Shea and let fly with a vicious dipping shot which flew under the bar with Ricardo well beaten.

Ferguson opted to retain his starting line-up as the second half began, Keise flattening Forlan to immediately put the visitors on the offensive.

Scholes twisted his way into space but his shot was blocked by Raimondas Zutauttas, then Nenad Pralija brought down Gary Neville to give Silvestre a 25-yard free-kick chance which the Frenchman curled over.

Fortune brilliantly laid off a lofted Scholes pass to Forlan with his chest, the Uruguayan allowing the ball to bounce before hammering a volley which beat Awate but crashed off the crossbar. Within a minute, United’s task had doubled. A Maccabi counter-attack appeared to be heading nowhere when Katan turned the ball inside with a wall of red defenders in front of him.

Zutauttas had other ideas though and when he was presented with possession, he stormed forward with purpose, striking a drive which was almost a replica of Katan’s earlier effort, flying into the top corner, giving Ricardo absolutely no chance.

Ferguson elected to give striker Daniel Nardiello his first taste of European action, Fortune moving into a wider role, filling the vacancy left by the replaced Richardson. Ferdinand did manage to get the ball into the net as United pressed but the whistle had already gone for an infringement against the visitors. Nardiello looked sharp and thrust his way into a good crossing position, only for Awate to collect the cross as it ballooned off a Maccabi foot.

Worse was to follow 14 minutes from time when Ricardo appeared to be slow reacting to Katan’s through ball and chopped down Zutauttas who had got there first.

The Maccabi man was still receiving treatment behind the goal-line when Ayegbeni stepped up to send the

United keeper the wrong way.

MACCABI HAIFA: Awat, Zautatas, Harazi, Benado, Badir, Keisi, Ayegbini, Rosso, Zano, Katan, Pralija.

MAN UTD: Ricardo, Gary Neville, Silvestre, Ferdinand, O’Shea, Phil Neville, Scholes, Fortune, Richardson, Solskjaer, Forlan.