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Sheringham 90mt, Solksjaer 93mt |
Attendance 91,000 |
Basler 6mt |
MANCHESTER UNITED:Schmeichel, G Neville, Irwin, Johnsen, Stam, Beckham, Butt, Cole (Solskjaer), Giggs, Blomqvist (Sheringham), Yorke
BAYERN MUNICH:Kahn, Linke, Babbel, Tarnat, Matthaus (Fink), Jeremies, Effenberg, Zickler (Scholl), Basler, Kuffour, Jancker
The two top teams in Europe kicked off in clear conditions at a packed Nou Camp stadium with more than 10,000 Manchester United fans locked outside without tickets.
Despite worries that Beckham would not be able to start because of a thigh strain, picked up during training earlier in the week, he started in the middle of the park in the absence of Roy Keane, suspended for the game.
Bayern Munich threatened early when the pacey right midfielder Markus Babbel made a surging run. And Jancker was bundled down just outside the area by Gary Neville.
And Mario Basler blasted the ball at a disintegrating Manchester United wall to put Bayern Munich 1-0 up in just over five minutes.
Manchester United again go behind early in a vital European tie this season before they really had a chance to settle.
Ryan Giggs, playing just wide of Beckham in the middle, attempted to put Dwight Yorke through the German's defence but keeper Kahn was out of his area quickly.
In the first 12 minutes it became clear that Beckham will be the key to Manchester United unlocking Bayern and with Stefan Effenberg and Jeremies both pushing forward in the middle he began to find some space, almost putting Andy Cole through. But Linke got enough on the ball and Cole's control let him down.
Gary Neville unleashed a long throw into the Bayern area and briefly panic ensued, which Cole failed to take advantage of, forcing the ball wide off his knee.
Effenberg chipped a ball into the area and Jancker surprised Denis Irwin with his pace. But his header was straight into the arms of Schmeichel.
Manchester United broke quickly but Giggs was dispossessed and Jancker again found himself clean through only to be pulled back for a very marginal offside.
On 20 minutes Beckham won two corner and a throw as United stepped up the pressure. Oliver Kahn was forced to make a desperate punch as Yorke attempted a volley from an accute angle.
Beckham played Cole through on the left but he found himself double marked and eventually disposessed. The ball again found the feet of Beckham but his cross was speculative rather than accurate.
Manchester United won another corner when Beckham's dead-ball delivery from a free kick wide on the right caused Bayern all sorts of problems in defence.
Again from the corner Beckham produced a vicious inswinging cross to Yorke which Bayern managed to cramble away.
The Bayern Munich fans continue to be jubilant but United continued to pile on the pressure. Giggs beautifully controlled a Schmeichel kick and ran at Samuel Kuffour down the right. A jinked pass inside to Yorke opened up space outside the box but his shot was weak and easy for Oliver Kahn.
33 minutes gone and a pattern has evolved, United press forward and Bayern clear upfield. Yet for all their territorial and possessional advantage United have had little in the way of genuine chances against an efficient German defence.
Bayern Munich manage to force a corner when Ronnie Johnson cleared off the toes of Alexander Zickler but it was easily dealt with. And at the other end Cole scuffed a shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area.
An innocuous foul 35 yards out set up Manchester United for a Beckham special. Although a long way out he struck his shot well - but just wide of the right upright.
Three minutes before half-time Yorke and Cole combined down the middle to force Giggs through the middle. Kahn was forced to save bravely at his feet.
With the break rapidly approaching Cole was set through and his cross was met by Giggs in space but again the finishing was poor as his header looped limply into the arms of Kahn.
Manchester United go in at the break to a likely roasting from manager Alex Ferguson, who watched his side achieve little in the way of genuine chances in a frustrating first half for the English Champions.
Second half
The second half kicked off with
Manchester United needing to improve on their first half performance if
the were going to have any chance of taking an historic domestic and European
treble.
But it was Bayern Munich who had the first chance of the half, when Jancker muscled his way past Stam. Luckily for United the German striker ran out of space and into Schmeichel.
United's first opportunity arrived on 49 minutes as Cole went up against Kuffour. Kuffour managed to clear as the United striker beat a path to Kahn's goal.
The first corner of the second half came moments later and United's Ronnie Johnsen managed to get a head to the ball only to see it balloon over the bar.
Munich came a lot closer when they won a corner in the 52nd minute, Markus Babbel launched himself at the ball only to see the ball skewer away from danger. Kuffour couldn't control the follow up.
Moments later Linke was forced to throw himself at a Giggs cross as Yorke look ready to pounce and then Ronnie Johnson had the best chance of the match thus far for United. Giggs whipped in a dangerous cross for the Norwegian international who got behind the defence but failed to control his volley from five yards out.
On 59 minutes Bayern's Stefan Effenberg was shown the first yellow card of the match when he felled a galloping Giggs down from behind as Bayern were stretched.
From the free-kick Bayern keeper Kahn collided with one if his own defenders causing a momentary panic in the German area but Yorke couldn't react quickly enough.
Mario Basler attempted to embarrass Peter Schmiechel on his last appearance for Manchester United with a cheeky shot from close to the halfway line. For a moment it looked like it could turn into a moment of magic when the big Danish keeperr stumbled, but he recovered to watch the ball sail over the bar.
Meanwhile United's FA Cup hero, Teddy Sheringham, warmed up on the touchline, on 63 minutes.
Beckham found himself in a familiar position on the right and immediately whipped in a wicked cross which Bayern just managed to scramble away for a corner. Teddy Sheringham replaced Jesper Blomqvist on 67 minutes.
From the corner Stam heads the ball over the bar. Ferguson moves Beckham permanently out wide to supply some width and plays Sheringham up front with Cole and Yorke in the holding position.
Beckham plays an ambitious ball across field in an attempt to release Sheringham but it is too pacy for the veteran striker. Meanwhile Alexander Zickler is replaced by Mehmet Scholl for the Germans.
Immediately the Germans attack and Stefan Effenberg unleashes a pile driver from 30 yards which shot just wide of Schmeichel's left post as he looks on.
But Schmeichel pulled off a stunning save, on 72 minutes, stretching high to tip away a goalbound chip by one of the most acclaimed players in Europe this season.
With little more than 13 minutes left United are looking to push the ball up to Sheringham and use his height to win the ball.
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer warms up on the touchline as Ferguson looks for that vital equaliser.
United were let off the hook when Mario Basler drove into the United area and laid off a ball to the substitute Scholl who chipped the ball past Schmeichel only to see the ball rebound off the post back into the grateful keeper's arms.
Butt creates the best moment of the match for United when he pulled the ball back across an empty net. From the corner Solksjaer unleashes a bullet header with his first touch, after coming on for Cole. Kahn makes a great diving save.
End-to-end stuff. Within seconds Scholl again tests Schmeichel, this time with a drive, which is forced wide for a corner.
Seven minutes left and Bayern have a corner. Jancker hits the crossbar with an overhead kick as the Germans look to finish United off. United are look erratic and increasingly desperate as the clock ticks down.
Bayern settle down to defend for the last five minutes and were almost made to regret their decision when a back heel by Butt lands at Sheringham's feet but his shot is too weak.
Yorke headed back across the goal from a Beckham cross in the final two minutes but nobody was there. Cole couldn't connect as Bayern are stretched. And Kahn finally gets hold of the ball as Yorke shoots. Two minutes to go.
In the final minute United have a throw level with the penalty area. Three minutes injury time will be added.
Corner. Schmeichel came up for the corner as United are desperate, the ball came in and Schmeichel almost got hold of it then Butt. The ball fell to Giggs on the edge of the area and his volley fell to Sheringham who coolly slotted the ball home for United's equaliser.
Another corner to United and this time Schmeichel stayed in goal. But Beckham picked out Sheringham in the box and his flick fell to Solskjaer who reacted in front of a stunned Bayern defence to flick the ball home from a yard out. 2-1 to United.
It was to be the final kick of the match and as the final whistle went Bayern's players dropped to the turf as United celebrated one of the most amazing turnarounds in European Cup history. Manchester United had won their third European trophy, their second European Cup and an historic treble.
