The tie was poised tantalisingly at 2-2 when Wayne Rooney had the chance to rock Bayern Munich and rip up the expected narrative of this Champions League quarter-final.
Danny Welbeck had the ball inside Bayern’s area, yet when he rolled it across to Rooney, despite the forward having copious time and space, he fluffed the shot.
This was on 64 minutes. Moments later Thomas Muller scored to make it 3-2 on aggregate to the competition holders and Rooney was consigned to wondering what might have been if he had slotted home the opportunity.
For this night in Bavaria Rooney had been asked to be a different kind of total footballer. Here he was asked to be the first defender at the tip of David Moyes's 4-5-1 formation while being ready to instantly transform into the predator who might score or create the goal that would dump Bayern out.
Blistering start
The blistering start Pep Guardiola's men fashioned suggested that attack-mode Rooney would indeed be feeding off scraps all evening. While Arjen Robben took up ownership of the ball in those opening moments, Rooney was operating near the centre circle or joining team-mates deeper inside United territory.
Taking up occupancy at corners – Bayern had two inside the opening five minutes – or trying to step on Toni Kroos or Philipp Lahm to snuff out the Germans’ attack at birth were his chief occupations.
This detail had been on Rooney’s mind during the build-up. Of the Bayern captain, the forward said: “The most important player for me is Philipp Lahm. They’ve got Ribery, Robben and Toni Kroos who are great players but Lahm is the one who makes everything tick. He is the one you have to stop.”
Yet as he settled into this role, United began to assert themselves, and Rooney was given his first gilded opportunity. What appeared a speculative Darren Fletcher effort dropped perfectly into Rooney’s path. Instant control allowed a surge towards Manuel Neuer’s goal. But instead of using his left to shoot, Rooney dallied, Dante blocked him, and when Shinji Kagawa became available the option was refused. The threat fizzled out.
Guardiola had described Rooney as one of the best players he has ever seen in his career before this match. From a man who has coached Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez it was some compliment.
Rooney showed his worth in in the chance he made for Antonio Valencia’s disallowed goal. Floating out to the left where Kagawa’s natural inclination can also take him, Rooney played in the cross for a strike rightly chalked-off for offside.
Kagawa’s inclusion had been a headline selection from Moyes. At last he was handed the No10 role in a big-time game to show what he could do. Kagawa’s four appearances for Borussia Dortmund against Bayern had all ended with the 25-year-old on the winning side. Perhaps that was a factor in Moyes’s decision, and some of United’s brightest moments - were created by Kagawa as he found pockets of space and plenty of team-mates as he did so successfully for Dortmund before his move two years ago.
Rooney, booed all night for the incident that had Bastian Schweinsteiger sent off in the first leg at Old Trafford, began the second half by taking the collector’s item of a United corner.
To get to the break with Bayern not scoring had been a success, though Schweinsteiger’s finish at Old Trafford meant that as the clock ticked towards the hour mark, the game remained goalless.
Bayern were probably the happiest yet they were struggling to find the rhythm which can often be so hypnotic.
This was confirmed when Patrice Evra let fly for a 57th-minute goal that had United ahead in the tie for the second time – and believing.
Before kick-off Moyes said: “If we can make them chase the game that will suit us because we don’t want to be chasing it.”
For less than two minutes the Scot had his wish. With United’s players still engulfed by euphoria, Bayern swept downfield and Ribery’s ball was headed home expertly by Mario Mandzukic beyond David de Gea, Evra far too slow to make the challenge. Now, after Rooney’s chance came and was messed up, first Muller then the excellent Robben showed the 28-year-old how to finish, to give Bayern a 3-1 lead on the night that meant an unassailable 4-2 advantage on aggregate and Manchester United, seventh in the Premier League, were bidding farewell to the Champions League.
Guardian Service
