Bayern banish United ghosts

MANCHESTER UNITED’S Champions League hopes were left in tatters at Old Trafford last night, where Bayern Munich produced a thrilling fightback to gain suitable revenge for events of 1999 and leave Alex Ferguson facing the unthinkable prospect of seeing his season disintegrate around him.

On a bizarre evening, United somehow snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and a place in the last four. Despite roaring into a three-goal lead inside the opening 43 minutes, a night of joy turned to shock and despair as the Germans somehow clawed their way back into the contest through Ivica Olic before Rafael was dismissed for his second booking and Arjen Robben plundered a stunning volley with 17 minutes remaining to secure their passage courtesy of the away goals rule and leave England without a team in the semi-finals for the first time in seven years.

Ferguson had described the defeat in the Allianz Arena as a ‘kick in the teeth’, but that was nothing compared to this. True, the late goal last week had been exactly that, but what had concerned him more had been United’s inability to maintain possession, a quality Ferguson has taken huge pride in down the years. Yet prior to kick off he had been equally determined to stress how vital it was his players didn’t drown in the disappointment and thus provide the ultimate response by showing the character required to secure a place in the last four.

This moment promised to be the defining one of United’s entire season, especially in the wake of last weekend’s defeat to title rivals Chelsea.

An elimination from Europe so soon after would have represented something quite catastrophic for a club of United’s stature, which explained the tension both on and off the field prior to kick off. Wayne Rooney’s shock inclusion in United’s starting XI was such a tonic for the hosts due to his influence on the team. It was a bold call from Ferguson, as was his decision to recall the relatively inexperienced duo of Darron Gibson and Rafael. Bayern, meanwhile, had the luxury of recalling Robben after he passed a fitness test following a calf problem.

Not even Ferguson could have imagined the impact his selections would have, however. It took less than three minutes for Gibson to justify his inclusion as United made the sort of start not even the most optimistic of supporter could have anticipated,

Rafael found Rooney in space with an intelligent pass and when the latter fed Gibson with a cushioned ball the midfielder had one intention as he charged towards retreating defenders before plundering an unstoppable drive beyond the startled Hans-Jorg Butt to level the contest and put United ahead on the away goal rule. Yet the evening was to get much better just five minutes later. Once again Rooney was involved, picking out Antonio Valencia with a sweeping ball and when the winger eventually found the time to ping over a wicked cross Nani was in the right place to convert it with a sublime flick from close range.

Bayern looked at each other dumbstruck, stunned by how their careful and meticulous planning had been destroyed in a matter of minutes.

It took them almost 30 minutes to come to their senses, but when they did Olic should have pulled a goal back just before the interval after being played in by Thomas Muller but his first touch betrayed him and Edwin van der Sar was allowed to smother the strike. Moments later Bayern’s fading hopes appeared sunk when Nani converted Valencia’s cross with some aplomb to leave the Germans staring humiliation in the face. Yet this thrilling contest took a significant twist courtesy of two incidents either side of the interval. Firstly, Olic managed to pull a goal back for Bayern, when somehow squeezing his shot beyond van der Sar from an acute angle before Rafael earned himself his second booking of the game and subsequent red card by hauling back Franck Ribery in the 45th minute. The consequence of this was that Ferguson had little option but to withdraw Rooney, who had appeared to aggrevate his troublesome ankle, for the more defensive John O’Shea. Bayern suddenly resembled a different team and United set about the task of holding on for more than 40 minutes. However there was little anyone could do to prevent Robben from settling this fascinating affair with a stunning strike.

Subs for Man United: O’Shea for Rooney 55, Berbatov for Carrick 80, Giggs for Gibson 81.

Subs for Bayern Munich: Gomez for Muller 46, Altintop for Robben 76, Pranjic for Olic 85.