ACTUALITE |
21.11.2001
Defensive lapse costs Man Utd dear as Bayern snatch draw (updated)
MUNICH,
Manchester United`s defensive hoodoo struck again here Tuesday when a late slip up saw Bayern Munich claim a 1-1 draw in their Champions League Group A clash.
United had been set for a famous victory after Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy put the English giants 1-0 up just 16 minutes from time at the Olympic Stadium.
But a pass from Bayern`s Alexander Zickler helped on by Carsten Jancker caused hesitation between United defenders Wes Brown and Laurent Blanc, allowing Brazilian Paulo Sergio to steal in and equalise in the 88th minute.
United might even have lost late on and had French `keeper Fabien Barthez to thank for a stunning late save from a fierce Owen Hargreaves shot from just inside the area.
United will be relieved to have come away with a point, but Sir Alex Ferguson`s was left bitterly disappointed that his side could not wrap up the win against the defending champions.
"It was a game I think we should have won," Ferguson said afterwards. "We conceded a late goal and that`s very disappointing for us.
"However before the game I think we would have settled for the draw. It`s just disappointing we lost a goal so late," he added.
"It`s a disappointing part of the game for us. We defended really well until then. But we`ve given the ball away, they`ve come into the penalty box and they`ve scored ... it`s disappointing," an unhappy Ferguson said.
United`s goal came on 74 minutes. Breaking out swiftly from defence, the ball was moved to second-half substitute Mikael Silvestre sprinting down the left flank.
The French international fullback`s whipped in cross was met perfectly by van Nistelrooy, who sidefooted a volley home from close range past Bayern `keeper Oliver Kahn.
Bayern, who had dominated the first half but struggled to make any impression in the second when United upped the tempo, fought back to level.
United could have made it safe when leading 1-0 but skipper Roy Keane`s long-range shot was tipped onto the bar five minutes from time by Kahn.
"That save stopped them from losing. It was a world class save," Ferguson said.
Ferguson`s counterpart at Bayern Ottmar Hitzfeld was happy to have escaped with a point.
"We could have lost and it`s important that we won a point. It would have been very tough to lose our first home match," said Hitzfeld.
"We were the better side in the first half but we couldn`t re-establish our rhythm in the second and Manchester United were able to come back in the game," said Hitzfeld, sidestepping questions about United`s enduring defensive troubles.
"Manchester are a very powerful team. They defended well and they scored a wonderful goal from Ruud van Nistelrooy.
"They have got a real inventor in midfield with Veron and I think they have improved a lot from last season," said Hitzfeld, who earlier this week ruled himself out as a possible successor to Ferguson.
Earlier, United had spent the first half happy to sit back and absorb the pressure from Bayern, who had all the play but only seriously tested Barthez once in the opening 45 minutes./p
With United`s defence a problem area all season, Ferguson clearly was in no mood to take any chances against Bayern.
Skipper Keane acted as an effective shield just in front of centre-halves Brown and Blanc, with Paul Scholes and Argentine star Juan Sebastian Veron in central midfield.
United`s 4-1-4-1 formation held up well under the early Bayern pressure, although inevitably van Nistelrooy cut an isolated figure as the lone striker.
Bayern`s first effort came on 13 minutes, Brazilian attacker Giovane Elber firing a shot from the edge of the area directly at Barthez.
The German champions` best chance of the first half came on 23 minutes when Barthez punched away Bosnian international Hasan Salihamidzic`s glancing header from a Willy Sagnol corner.
United`s defence were under the cosh shortly afterwards when Barthez was adjudged to have taken longer than the allowed six seconds for a clearance, Swedish referee Anders Frisk awarding an indirect freekick a couple of yards inside the Red Devils` area.
Stefan Effenberg`s shot from the setpiece rebounded off the United wall though, and his follow was off target.
United did finally register their first attempt on goal 10 minutes before the break.
England captain David Beckham curled in a freekick from the right and Quinton Fortune, a late replacement for injured Ryan Giggs, rose to head wide.
United came out for the second half more positively, Ferguson substituting Dennis Irwin at fullback for the more adventurous Silvestre.
And the move looked like being a tactical masterstroke when Silvestre`s run and cross created van Nistelrooy`s opener. But Bayern were in no mood to be beaten and Sergio`s leveller saw them escape.
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