Champions League: Moyes clings onto belief of Euro glory
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 BAYERN MUNICH 1
MANCHESTER United manager David Moyes is convinced his team can score in Munich to keep their unlikely dream of winning a fourth Champions League crown alive.
The Premier League champions put their domestic woes behind them in last night’s quarter-final first leg to draw with the holders after defender Nemanja Vidic’s opening goal was cancelled out by Bastian Schweinsteiger, later sent off.
United were forced to soak up consistent pressure from Bayern, but Moyes insisted he felt his team could score and will go to Germany next week with the belief they can do so again.
“It was always going to be tough, but I believed we could score against them and we will go to Munich believing that,” he said.
“We’ll go toe to toe with them. Our best football has been in this competition and we’ll need our best football when we go there. We need to score.
“I’m happy with the performance, but a little disappointed with the result. We might have taken one of the other chances. We’ll try and take that into the second leg.”
Bayern were utterly dominant in possession during the first half, though only managed to test goalkeeper David de Gea intermittently. Winger Arjen Robben went closest to breaking the deadlock after half an hour, cutting in from the right-flank before striking a trademark curling effort with his left foot, met by De Gea with an outstanding save.
Yet it was United who fashioned the best chance of the opening 45 minutes and Danny Welbeck should have given the home side their reward for a tireless display.
Welbeck shrugged off a challenge from Jerome Boateng to reach Wayne Rooney’s through pass but, with just goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to beat, the England forward miscued a scoop which was easily beaten away.
The second half began with the same pattern, United chasing and harrowing, as Bayern calmly sprayed the ball around Old Trafford.
Yet it was United who edged ahead when Vidic, set to depart for Inter Milan in the summer, found space inside the penalty area to head in Rooney’s corner from six yards.
Their lead lasted just eight minutes though. The arrival of Mario Mandzukic from the bench gave fresh impetus to the Bayern attack and the Croatia forward expertly nodded down Rafinha’s cross for Schweinsteiger to arrow in an equaliser on the half volley.
Robben went closest to grabbing a winner, but the former Chelsea star saw a low drive, on his weaker right foot, creep inches wide.
In the final minute Schweinsteiger was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Rooney, ruling him out of the second leg through suspension.