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Manchester United 3-2 Bayern Munich (Agg 4-4): Arjen Robben screamer sends Red Devils out of Champions League

Manchester United v Bayern Munich: Line-up & stats
Champions League results/standings

Bayern Munich fought back from three goals down against Manchester United to lose 3-2 on the night at Old Trafford but progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League on the away goals rule.

The Red Devils went three goals up after an early strike from Darron Gibson was followed up by a brace by Nani but Ivica Olic pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time to hand the visitors a lifeline.

Rafael was given a second yellow card just minutes into the second half, after bringing down Franck Ribery before Arjen Robben’s excellent left-footed volley sent Bayern through to the semi-finals.

Sir Alex Ferguson sprung a major surprise with his team selection, naming Wayne Rooney, who looked certain to miss out with an ankle injury, in the starting line-up with Dimitar Berbatov dropping to the bench. Experienced trio Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were replaced by Rafael, Michael Carrick and Darron Gibson, while Nani replaced Park Ji-Sung in Manchester United’s only other change from Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea.

Bayern Munich made two changes from their 2-1 away win over Schalke at the weekend. Martin Demichelis replaced Diego Contento in defence, while Arjen Robben recovered from a calf injury to start in the place of Hamit Altintop, which meant Bastian Schweinsteiger partnered Mark van Bommel in central midfield.

Manchester United had the majority of possession early on and got off to the best possible start. Rafael found Rooney 25 yards out from goal and he laid the ball off to Gibson, who held off the challenge of Schweinsteiger, before firing the ball right-footed past Butt, who stayed fixed in the middle of the goal, into the bottom right-hand corner.

The Red Devils wasted no time getting to grips with the game and added a second just three minutes later. Rooney played an excellent 50-yard cross-field ball to Valencia and the Ecuadorian twisted and turned his way down the right wing before driving the ball across the face of goal past Badstuber to Nani at the near post, who crept in from of Van Buyten, to excellently flick the ball into the far corner.

Butt was partly at fault for United’s opener and almost handed Sir Alex Ferguson’s side a third after just 12 minutes. The Bayern goalkeeper miscued his clearance straight to Carrick 35 yards out but his left-footed curling effort failed to beat the German and fizzed just wide of the near post.

Rooney was a major doubt ahead of the game and almost got on the score sheet in the opening stages. Gibson’s corner bounced in the area and found its way to the England international 12 yards out and Demichelis allowed him to have far too much room to latch onto the cross but he could only place his header over the crossbar.

Minutes later, Rafael skipped down the right wing and was pulled to the ground by Van Bommel but referee Nicola Rizzoli waved play on. As the Bayern captain looked to win the ball, the Brazilian kicked out at him, giving away a free-kick, as well as picking up a booking.

Just minutes after going close to scoring, Rooney looked as though he was going to have to be replaced. After challenging for the ball with Van Buyten, the United forward twisted his ankle and seemed as though he would not be able to continue but waved to the bench that he could carry on.

It took a long time for Bayern Munich to come into the game and they had their first chance in the 26th minute. Ribery held on to the ball on the edge of the area before laying the ball off to Schweinsteiger 25 yards out from goal but the Germany international’s fierce right-footed strike was quickly closed down by the United defence.

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Wing wizard | Nani doubles United's lead

The visitors were unable to build on their first chance and United’s dominance continued. Fletcher played a wonderful defence-splitting pass in between Badstuber and Demichelis to Valencia on the right side of the Bayern penalty area but the winger took a heavy first touch and Demichelis recovered to slide the ball out of play.

Rafael did a fantastic job of keeping Ribery quiet in the first half and impressed with his attacking play too. The Brazilian dispossessed Ribery in the right-back position before playing the ball to Rooney and continuing his run all the way to the halfway line. Rooney then found Carrick who returned the ball to Rafael and he took the ball under control before racing through on goal but he seemed to lose concentration when one-on-one with Butt and fired just wide of the far post.

Manchester United continued to pile pressure on Bayern and went 3-0 up after 41 minutes. The excellent Valencia latched onto Rafael’s throw-in down the right wing before coolly flicking the ball past Demichelis and firing into the area. Rooney then allowed the ball to run through to the unmarked Nani at the far side of the area and he made no mistake and fired the ball past Butt in the Bayern goal.

The Red Devils dominated the first half and looked as though they would take a three goal lead at the break but the visitors pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time. Muller’s looping header into the area found Olic and he easily shrugged off the challenge of Carrick, who should really have cleared the ball, before firing low from an acute angle past Van der Sar into the bottom right-hand corner.

Bayern Munich boss Louis van Gaal had to change something at the break and opted to take off Muller, who had been non-existent in the first-half, and bring on Gomes in his place.

United were dealt a massive blow on 50 minutes. Not only did Rooney continue to struggle with injury, but they had to play the rest of the game with ten men. As Ribery attempted to break with the ball down the left wing, Rafael couldn’t catch him and pulled the Frenchman down to the ground to pick up his second booking.

Rafael’s dismissal meant Fletcher had to deputise at right-back and it was the emergency defender who almost provided United with another goal just three minutes later. The Scotland international’s inswinging free-kick from the right was quickly punched clear by Butt but only as far as Nani on the edge of the area. The United winger got the ball under control before firing right-footed over the Bayern goalkeeper and towards the top corner but the ball flew just over.

Sir Alex Ferguson then made a change, bringing on the returning O’Shea for Rooney, which meant Nani had to play the lone striker role. The Portugal international almost completed his hat-trick when he latched onto Valencia’s through ball from the halfway line but when faced one-on-one with Butt, he could only fire straight at the Bayern goalkeeper, who palmed the ball out for a corner.

After going down to ten men, United failed to create many chances and Bayern almost scored through Gomes after 68 minutes. Lahm was found in plenty of space on the right wing and he whipped in a great right-footed cross into the area to the German international, who crept in front of Ferdinand, to header just over the bar.

Chances at either end followed. Schweinsteiger’s powerful strike from the edge of the area was easily claimed by Van der Sar before United broke down the other end with Nani. The tricky winger then laid the ball off to Gibson 20 yards out but his right-footed effort was weak and straight at Butt.

Unlike the first-half, Bayern began to dominate and Robben was found on the right wing by Van Bommel and the Dutchman cut inside before firing left-footed towards the far corner but his effort took a deflection off Vidic before spinning wide for a Bayern Munich corner.

From the resulting corner, Schweinsteiger’s delivery from the left picked out Robben on the edge of the area and the Dutchman caught the ball on the volley and fired left-footed straight into the bottom left-hand corner past the outstretched Van der Sar. The Bayern winger could not have caught the ball sweeter and his goal meant, at that stage, the visitors were through on away goals.

Ribery almost equalised for Bayern with an excellent right-footed strike from the edge of the area but the ball flew just wide of the top right-hand corner before Nani saw his low right-footed shot sail just wide of the bottom corner as the game drew to a close.

United brought on Giggs and Berbatov as late substitutes for Carrick and Gibson but neither could make significant enough impact as the Red Devils crashed out of the Champions League.

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