Flying Dutchman gives Basle a Ruud awakening
Manchester United had been left shell-shocked after going a goal behind in only 31 seconds.
Without the likes of David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville and Laurent Blanc it could have been a hammer blow.
But Alex Ferguson’s side dug deep and completed a remarkable comeback in the second half to end Basle’s proud unbeaten home record.
Dutch striker van Nistelrooy dragged United level in the 61st minute and two minutes later put them ahead with a magnificent effort.
It took his tally in the competition to eight this season and 18 in all since he joined the club.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer added a third in the 68th minute as Basle, who had earlier eliminated Liverpool and Celtic, ran out of steam.
Basle got off to a flier and left United stunned with a goal after 31 seconds - the sixth fastest in Champions League history.
Hakan Yakin floated in a corner from the left and Quinton Fortune scrambled Julio Rossi’s effort off the goal-line.
However, his clearance was picked up by Scott Chipperfield, whose shot was deflected past a startled Fabien Barthez by Christian Gimenez.
Rossi almost added a second in the eighth minute when his 25-yard chip landed on the roof of the net.
United were left stunned by that early goal from the Swiss champions but regrouped and nearly grabbed the equaliser after 12 minutes.
Solskjaer got clear of his marker when Ryan Giggs swung in a corner only to head wide in front of the posts. Basle, however, continued to look dangerous as they broke quickly and incisively.
Barthez had to look alert in the 17th minute, tipping over a 25-yard thunderbolt from Murat Yakin after a short free-kick from Mario Cantaluppi.
Then van Nistelrooy was tripped by Marco Zwyssig and the Basle defender was booked.
United manager Ferguson was so incensed by the challenge he raced out of his technical area to protest.
Juan Sebastian Veron took the free-kick, only for Murat Yakin to head clear while almost on his knees.
United looked unsure at the back and the impressive Rossi went on a surging run that only ended when his cutback was scrambled away.
However, they were beginning to look more threatening and van Nistelrooy found the net, only for his effort at the far post to ruled out for offside.
A minute earlier Solskjaer had tried to pick out the Dutchman but Timothee Atouba made a decisive clearance.
United were caught napping in the 42nd minute and almost conceded a second goal.
Atouba clipped a neat ball into the path of the Australian midfielder Chipperfield but from only three yards out and with just Barthez to beat he somehow managed to screw his shot wide. The Basle fans screamed for a penalty when Mikael Silvestre brought down Hakan Yakin but the referee waved play on.
United’s in-form striker van Nistelrooy turned the game on its head with two goals in two minutes.
He equalised in the 61st minute, getting in between two defenders to head home a cross from Solskjaer.
Van Nistelrooy’s second was his eighth in the Champions League this season and a goal of such quality even the Basle fans applauded it.
He showed dancing feet to cut in from the left and leave the goalkeeper helpless with a shot into the far corner from an acute angle.
Basle were beginning to wilt and Solskjaer added a third in the 68th minute, his shot going through the goalkeeper’s legs.
BASLE: Zuberbuhler, Zwyssig, Hakan Yakin, Gimenez, Murat Yakin, Cantaluppi, Haas, Ergic, Atouba, Chipperfield, Juilio Rossi.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Barthez, O’Shea, Silvestre, Brown (May 90), Phil Neville, Fortune, Scholes, Veron, Giggs, van Nistelrooy (Forlan 73), Solskjaer (Chadwick 90).
Referee: Valentin Ivanov (Russia).
