CHAMPIONS LEAGUE/Manchester U 3 Bayern Munich 2(4-4 on agg, Bayern Munich on away goals):ANGUISH REMAINS the hallmark of this fixture. Manchester United, removed from the Champions League on the away goals rule, had appeared to be sauntering to the semi-finals when they led 3-0 and 4-2 on aggregate.
The goal that ensued for Bayern Munich only took on real significance when the United full-back Rafael da Silva was sent off by Nicola Rizzoli when, having one booking already, he pulled back Franck Ribery in the 50th minute.
The visitors made the most of their advantage and Arjen Robben, the former Chelsea winger, settled the tie with a majestic volley.
England, for the first time since 2003, have no representative in the last four of the Champions League. That outcome had barely been feasible early in the evening.
By the eighth minute, United had scored twice to assume a 3-2 lead on aggregate. The goals arrived effortlessly, yet great deliberation had gone into the shaping of this line-up. There might even have been a tinge of subterfuge to the project.
Wayne Rooney was deemed fit despite having sustained what appeared to be damage to his ankle ligaments in the defeat to Bayern eight days before. His inclusion was not a complete surprise, since rumours of a rapid recovery had been circulating for a little while. Alex Ferguson’s downbeat tone when discussing Rooney’s prospects had simply ensured there would be a fillip for the crowd when the team was confirmed.
The opening reflected that excitement. After three minutes, Rafael knocked the ball in from the right and Rooney laid it off to set up Darron Gibson for the first European goal of his career. He should have been denied it but goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt was peculiarly slow to react as the attempt went past him on his left.
United’s next goal was distinctly more stylish. Antonio Valencia beat the left-back Holger Badstuber and his cutback was flicked into the net by Nani with the inside of his foot.
After championing the readiness of the veteran Gary Neville to cope with the swift Ribery, Ferguson omitted the right-back, who was not even on the bench.
The young Rafael had an impact in his place, although that benefit was wiped away by the red card.
Old-timers such as Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs took seats on the bench, while Gibson was brought into the midfield. The starting line-up also featured Nani and Valencia in an expression of intent, to sweep the play to the visitors with pace on the flanks.
Such steps would not necessarily have thrown Ferguson’s opposite number into a panic. Louis van Gaal must have been satisfied of late with his team’s form. Their fragility here must have shocked him.
United were almost carefree. Even when Rooney limped after seeming to land awkwardly he was soon signalling to the bench that he could run off the harm done to his ankle – although it emerged he was in pain.
During the interval, Ferguson observed that the opposition were targeting that weak spot and the attacker was replaced in the 55th minute.
Most people would have expected Bayern to be disconsolate by that stage. The tone of Old Trafford had been jubilant when Valencia’s deep cross was lashed past Butt by Nani, who took his second goal with a first-time volley in the 43rd minute.
That 3-0 lead, however, was to spread unwise relaxation. Two minutes later a lethargic Michael Carrick did almost nothing to prevent Ivica Olic, the scorer of the winner in Munich, from trimming the lead.
Almost immediately, United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar did well to reach a curler from Robben that would otherwise have put Bayern ahead on away goals.
The reduction of United to 10 men did not necessarily imply that they would be oppressed constantly. While Ferguson had sent on a defender, John O’Shea, in place of Rooney, there was encouragement on the break and Nani, for instance, demanded a good save from Butt in the 63rd minute.
Still, Bayern were heartened and sought the goal that promised to pilot them to the semi-finals. Van der Sar excelled in dealing with a Ribery drive and a header from Mario Gomez, a substitute, went alarmingly close to the target. There was a sense that these sides cannot help themselves from concocting drama.
The Robben volley that sent Bayern into the lead in the tie was majestic, yet United, even when outnumbered, ought to have had him covered as Ribery dropped a corner kick from the left to the far corner of the penalty area.
MAN UTD: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick (Berbatov 80), Gibson (Giggs 80), Valencia, Rooney (O’Shea 55), Nani. Subs not used: Kuszczak, Scholes, Jonathan Evans, Macheda. Sent off: Rafael Da Silva (50). Booked: Rafael da Silva.
BAYERN MUNICH: Butt, Lahm, Van Buyten, Demichelis, Badstuber, Robben (Altintop 76), Van Bommel, Schweinsteiger, Ribery, Olic (Pranjic 84), Muller (Gomez 46). Subs not used: Rensing, Klose, Contento, Tymoschuk. Booked: Van Bommel, Badstuber.
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy).
4-4 on aggregate, Bayern win on away goals
Attendance: 74,482
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