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Manchester United make their point despite Bayern Munich fightback Manchester United make their point despite Bayern Munich fightback
(35 minutes later)
For a short while, an eccentric season for Manchester United, featuring seven home defeats and more ignominy than David Moyes will want to remember, was looking good for a throwback result to shift the entire mood of the club. They had given everything, against superior opponents, and for nine minutes they led and Old Trafford, once again, felt a happy place. For a short while, an eccentric season for Manchester United, featuring seven home defeats and more ignominy than David Moyes will want to remember, was shaping up for a result that might have shifted the entire mood of the club. They had given everything, against superior opponents, and for nine minutes they led and Old Trafford, once again, felt like a happy place.
David Moyes and his players will just regret they could not do a better job of protecting the lead before Bayern Munich finally bared their teeth. Instead, Bastian Schweinsteiger's equaliser leaves the European champions in a position of strength going into the return leg next week. Yet not, possibly, the clear position many people might have anticipated bearing in mind the ordeals United have already suffered on this ground. Moyes will just wish his players could have done a better job of protecting their lead before Bayern Munich finally bared their teeth. Instead, Bastian Schweinsteiger's equaliser leaves the European champions in a position of strength going into the return leg. Yet not, perhaps, the position many people might have anticipated bearing in mind the ordeals United have already suffered on this ground.
The ruthless winning machine certainly did not get everything their own way and Schweinsteiger will be banned from the rematch after his late challenge on Wayne Rooney brought him his second yellow card of the night. The ruthless winning machine from Bavaria certainly did not get everything their own way. Schweinsteiger will be banned next week after his challenge on Wayne Rooney late on brought him his second yellow card of the night, whereas a booking for Javi Martinez also makes him ineligible. Moyes was entitled to wonder whether it might have been a more profitable occasion considering the chance Danny Welbeck passed up in the first half, and at least Nemanja Vidic's goal means United will head to Germany in a reasonable frame of mind. Their fans will travel in hope rather than expectation. Yet that is still a better position than many had presumed.
Moyes might even be emboldened to think it could have been a more profitable occasion considering the chance that Danny Welbeck passed up in the first half and at least Nemanja Vidic's goal means United will head to Bavaria in a reasonable frame of mind, albeit facing another considerable challenge. Bayern have now scored in 61 successive games but this was the first time in 18 games outside Munich when they have not won and only the second occasion out of 25 when they not have managed at least two goals. United had to chase and harry and, for long spells, just try to hang in there. They spent a large part of the night defending on the edge of their own penalty area and Moyes was right to enthuse about his players' efforts. Too many times this season, his team have lacked togetherness and direction. This time, they played as though affronted by the suggestion it would be a walkover for the reigning European champions.
Bayern, to put it into context, arrived in Manchester on the back of a 60-game run in which they had never failed to score. They had won their past 17 games outside Munich and managed at least two goals in 24 of the past 25 games. Another Bundesliga title had been safely wrapped up and, for United, the unfortunate truth is that this was always going to be a night when they had to chase and harry and, for long spells, just try to hang in there. That was the only way United were going to get through the night. Bayern attacked from every angle. On one side, Arjen Robben teased and tormented Alexander Buttner. On the other, Franck Ribery was quick, elusive and relentless. Bayern's problem was getting through the middle, starting the night without an orthodox centre-forward, but for the most part they simply kept the ball, looking for spaces to exploit, pinning their opponents back.
A club with their attacking traditions might not like it this way. Yet the superiority of their opponents on the ball made it inevitable. Bayern attacked from every angle. Arjen Robben teased and tormented Alexander Buttner. United did not have the same refinement. They did, however, play with structure and organisation. They set about frustrating their opponents, operating on the counter-attack, and the ploys of conservatism made it difficult their opponents. Vidic reminded Old Trafford why he will be sorely missed next season. Rio Ferdinand rose to the challenge and, though it was never easy for them, Buttner and Phil Jones stuck to the task of trying to subdue Robben and Ribery. Buttner eventually went off with a hamstring strain, meaning Jones moved to left-back, with Antonio Valencia dropping into the right-back slot. Yet United's patched-up defence held out.
On the opposite side, Franck Ribéry was quick, elusive and relentless. Welbeck's energy troubled Bayern but, for the most part, Pep Guardiola's team simply kept the ball, looking for spaces to exploit, pinning their opponents back in their own half. They can also be encouraged by what they saw of Bayern's back four. Welbeck's acceleration gave him the beating of Jerome Boateng on more than one occasion. It is just a pity for United he could not be more ruthless with that chance, five minutes before half-time, when Boateng slipped and left the forward running clear. What followed might ultimately be a key moment in this tie. Welbeck never looked fully confident and Manuel Neuer is too accomplished to try to deceive with a little dinked effort. This was not an occasion to be cute and the goalkeeper kept to his feet and read Welbeck's intentions.
United did not have the same refinement. They did, however, play with structure and organisation. They set about frustrating their opponents, defending on the edge of their own penalty area, and the ploys of conservatism made it hard going for their opponents sometimes. The rollicking Wayne Rooney meted out to his team-mate will linger in the memory. Yet Welbeck, more than anyone, showed Bayern are not entirely comfortable when players are running at them. United could also reflect on that moment, only three minutes in, when he did beat Neuer only for his volley to be ruled out because of a high foot as he set himself up. The counter-argument was that Martinez had ducked into the challenge, though it should also be noted Bayern's defenders had stopped in the split-second before Welbeck let fly.
In the first half, Robben came inside on a couple of occasions to take aim at David de Gea's goal. One shot curled just around the post, and another was turned wide by the goalkeeper. Yet the paradox was that United, operating almost exclusively on the counterattack, had the outstanding chance of the opening 45 minutes. Bayern's strength was in midfield – the wonderful blend of control and power that Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Phillip Lahm provide – and Moyes was fully justified removing Ryan Giggs at half-time. Giggs had been majestic in the last round against Olympiakos. Now, he looked what he was: a 40-year-old among younger men.
Welbeck's coltish bursts of acceleration gave him the beating of Jérôme Boateng on more than one occasion and, five minutes before half-time, he was suddenly running clear on goal. What followed might ultimately be a source of intense regret for the Premier League's seventh-placed team. Marouane Fellaini struggled again to impress but at least he was a penalty-box distraction for the United goal. Rooney swung over a corner from the left and Lahm had let Vidic go. Why Bayern's smallest player was assigned to Vidic was a mystery in the first place. Vidic leant back, twisted his neck and the ball found the bottom corner of Neuer's net.
Welbeck never looked fully confident and Manuel Neuer is too accomplished a goalkeeper to try to deceive him with a little dinked shot. This was not an occasion to be cute and Neuer read Welbeck's intentions to make the save. Guardiola responded by bringing on Mario Mandzukic for Thomas Muller and the Croat was instrumental in the equaliser, heading Rafinha's right-wing delivery into Schweinsteiger's path. It was an elegant swish of his left boot to send the ball into the roof of the net. Schweinsteiger's night ended sourly, with him accusing Rooney of diving, but Bayern still emerged in a position of command, like they almost always do.
The rollicking that Rooney subsequently meted out to his team-mate was sustained. Yet Welbeck was playing well and United could also reflect on that moment, only three minutes in, when he did beat Neuer only for his volley to be struck off. Carlos Carballo, the Spanish referee, had decided Welbeck's foot was too high as he controlled the ball on the edge of the penalty area.
The counter-argument was that Javi Martínez, who is banned from the second leg after a later booking, had ducked his head into the player's foot, though it should also be noted that Bayern's defender had played to the whistle in the split-second before Welbeck let fly.
Moyes's team certainly attacked with speed and vigour but they also had to spend long periods just trying to get the ball. Bayern's strength is always their midfield – the wonderful blend of control and power that Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Philipp Lahm provide – and the decision to remove Ryan Giggs at half-time was fully justified. Giggs had been majestic in the last round against Olympiakos. Now, he looked what he was: a 40-year-old in the company of younger men.
In defence, however, Vidic and Rio Ferdinand were doing a good job of disguising their advancing years. Then, in the 58th minute, there was the moment when United's crowd dared to dream.
Rooney swung over the cross from the left and Lahm had let Vidic go. Why Bayern's smallest player was assigned to Vidic was a mystery in the first place. Vidic leant back, twisted his neck and the ball found the bottom corner of Neuer's net.
Guardiola responded by bringing on Mario Mandzukic for Thomas Müller. Bayern had been missing a spearhead to their attack and he was instrumental in the equaliser, heading down Rafinha's right-wing delivery into Schweinsteiger's path.
It was an elegant swish of his left boot that sent the ball into the roof of the net and changed the complexion of the tie. Schweinsteiger's night ended sourly, with him accusing Rooney of diving, but Bayern still emerged in a position of command.