Alex Ferguson has one chance left if the Manchester United he has built up over 14 years is to justify its greatness by winning the second European Cup Ferguson believes is necessary to warrant comparison with the great teams of the past. On the evidence of a fairly convincing 3-1 aggregate defeat against a Bayern Munich side which may be some way short of special itself, Ferguson has a lot of work to do.
Goals from Giovane Elber and Mehmet Scholl in the fifth and 39th minutes last night, added to the strike from Paulo Sergio at Old Trafford a fortnight ago, finished United's interest, and their season. Ryan Giggs managed a 49th minute reply that briefly restored a measure of faith but it had been decisively undermined by United's chaotic defending.
It was such that Gary Neville and Wes Brown swapped positions after the interval to alleviate Brown's discomfort. But the damage had been done by then. United made two changes from the first leg at Old Trafford. David Beckham's suspension meant a wider than usual role for Paul Scholes on the right, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was downgraded to the bench having been on the wing in Manchester.
There had been only the mildest of sparring when Scholl sprayed a pass from Bayern's midfield to Michael Tarnat, advanced from left back.
Tarnat found space behind Gary Neville and sent in a daisy-cutter of a cross that was horrible to United's back-pedalling defenders but which was perfect for Elber at the far post. From four yards the Brazilian made no mistake.
In a way United's situation had not altered: they had needed two goals to win at kick-off and they still needed two. At least as long as Bayern did not get another. Some hope.
Bayern, attacking with confidence as United defended with nervousness, almost scored with their next move. Scholl and Elber were central directors as United were carved apart with two simple passes.
The second of those left Carsten Jancker free in the area with just Fabien Barthez to beat. But Jancker saw his volley rebound off the woodwork. Eight minutes had gone.
The distress even at that stage of the Manchester back line was obvious. It was made all the more conspicuous by the contrasting composure of, for example, Bixente Lizarazu's stand-in Willy Sagnol.
Neville and Mikael Silvestre were both suffering from poor distribution and in the 18th minute it was Brown's turn to be at fault. Another Bayern probe down the United right created room for Elber this time to deliver a centre. It was comfortable for Brown but his attempted header back to Barthez was soft and short. Jancker stepped in but could only poke the ball weakly at Barthez. Realistically, United could have been three down. On aggregate they would be soon.
That said, United could also have scored an equaliser in the 26th minute. Their previous attacking had been somewhat haphazard, over reliant on physical pressure and, supposedly, crosses from Giggs. Too often Giggs failed in that department, although it was from his corner that Keane managed a tiny flick with his head. The ball fell at speed to Andy Cole, he stabbed it goalward, but there was the pivotal figure of Scholl to boot the ball off the line.
Scholl's next work was at the other end, this time kicking the ball over Barthez's line. Bayern moved forward via the injured Jancker's replacement Alexander Zickler and Elber. As the ball skidded across the United area having been sent in by Sagnol, it came to Scholl at the far post. From 10 yards Scholl found the back of the net. United's players stared at each other motionless.
Now they required three to reach the semi-final. A first nearly arrived before half-time, though, Keane surging into the box and teeing up Dwight Yorke. Yorke's side-footer was straight at Oliver Kahn but somehow went through him and ended up on top of the net.
The second half began with the Germans continuing to open United at will and yet it was the English champions who scored. A good goal it was too, Giggs charging onto Scholes's alert lob to put another one over Kahn. The aggregate score was 3-1 now. Some hope.
The 4,000 Manchester United fans present had it raised on the hour when Giggs met a loose, bouncing ball with an improvised volley that Kahn stretched every sinew to palm away.
Munich might have wobbled then, but instead steadied themselves and started worrying Barthez again, the rangy Zickler in particular. Ferguson threw on Teddy Sheringham and Solskjaer, but the game ended with a blast of whistles as Zickler fell under a challenge from Silvestre in the United area. No penalty, but the next whistle was the final one.
BAYERN MUNICH: Kahn, Kuffour, Andersson, Linke, Sagnol, Tarnat, Jeremies, Effenberg, Scholl (Sergio 88), Jancker (Zickler 35), Elber (Santa Cruz 64). Subs Not Used: Dreher, Weisinger, Hargreaves, Kling. Goals: Elber 5, Scholl 40.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Barthez, Gary Neville, Brown (Chadwick 85), Stam, Silvestre, Scholes, Keane, Butt (Solskjaer 78), Giggs, Yorke (Sheringham 66), Cole. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Johnsen, Phil Neville, Wallwork. Goal: Giggs 49. Referee: V M Pereira (Portugal).
