Match Report: Manchester United 3 – 3 FC Basel

Manchester United 3 – 3 FC Basel

Tuesday 27/09/2011

Champions League Group Stage

Manchester United rescue a point from an open game at Old Trafford

The back four for United going into the second match of the Champions League group stage, were the only fit defenders at United’s disposal. With Nemanja Vidic, Chris Smalling, Rafaeal Da Silva and Johnny Evans out injured, in came Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Fabio Da Silva and Phil Jones. Other injuries up front meant that Danny Welbeck started up front on his own. This certainly wasn’t united strongest XI, but would still be expected to beat teams like FC Basel at home.

From the off it was apparent that United had a lot of confidence, with players swarming forward in abundance looking for the opening goal. However they were wasteful in possession and Basel were not there to just make up the numbers. It was end to end in the opening stages with the away side having the better of the chances, up until the 16th minute, when Danny Welbeck put United one up with a scuffed finish. Then before you knew it Basel found themselves two goals behind, and it was Welbeck again, slotting in a Ryan Giggs cross, much more convincingly than his first.

Getting two goals so early on relaxed the crowd and perhaps the United players, as Basel continued to push forward, creating the better of the chances. United’s defence seemed to go to sleep, with Basel only staying two goals behind with a succession of terrible misses, after getting themselves into goal scoring positions time and time again.

Against the run of play United went into the interval still two goals to the good, however the home sides defending had been sub-par. If things continued as they had, it could be a tough second half. And it seemed lessons hadn’t been learnt as Basel continued to press, with United seemingly having nothing in response. In the 52nd minute it took a world class stop from David De Gea to deny Marco Streller from five yards out. The Old Trafford faithful were watching a woeful second half and unsurprisingly it was Basel who scored next, when Fabian Frei got the visitors back in the game. And just like United in the first half the visitors scored two goals in two minutes when Alexander Frei, brought the game level. United were shell shocked. The introduction of Ji Sung Park for Ryan Giggs did not calm United’s tension as they still continued to look shaky in defence, giving the ball away to freely. If they were not careful they were not just going to surrender the lead, but lose at home for the first time in 18 months.

And that looked like the likely outcome when a calamity of errors from Phil Jones and Antonio Valencia gave Basel a penalty. A. Frei put it away emphatically to give the Swiss outfit an unexpected lead. With only fifteen minutes remaining on clock, United needed to wake up and fast. And that they did, throwing everyone forward looking for the equaliser, a dangerous tactic, but all they had left. Basel defended well keeping United at bay and looked likely to secure a famous victory, until the 90th minute, when Nani whipped in a glorious cross from the right wing which Ashley Young got to first, heading home from close range, levelling the scores once again.

The relief on the manager’s and the fans faces told the story at full time as the teams finished level on three a piece after a frantic game. With two more points dropped it leaves United with lots to do, but with four more games ahead of them in the group stages, there will still be plenty of opportunities to make amends.