Manchester United gamers, together with Jonny Evans and Bruno Fernandes, look dejected after Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman scored towards them within the UEFA Champions League group stage match at Old Trafford, Manchester, on December 12, 2023
| Photo Credit: Action Images through Reuters
Jeers rang round Old Trafford on Tuesday as Manchester United suffered an embarrassingly early exit from the Champions League after a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich.
Kingsley Coman’s Seventieth-minute aim ended the three-time European Cup winners’ slim possibilities of advancing to the knockout stage and delivered a modern blow in an ever-worsening season for Erik ten Hag.
The twelfth defeat in all competitions this season meant United couldn’t even safe the security internet of a spot within the Europa League after ending backside of Group A.
“The facts are we do not have enough points, we are disappointed as a group, as a manager, I am disappointed. We should have done better,” Ten Hag mentioned.
Copenhagen superior to the spherical of 16 behind group winner Bayern after beating Galatasaray 1-0. That consequence meant even a United win wouldn’t have seen it advance to the following stage.
Injury to Harry Maguire solely added to Ten Hag’s issues forward of Sunday’s Premier League recreation at chief Liverpool, with the stress mounting on the Dutchman.
United by no means seemed like getting the win it wanted after registering only one shot on the right track — a long-range effort from Luke Shaw — in all the match. And followers made their emotions referred to as the ultimate whistle blew on one other disappointing night time for Ten Hag’s group, whereas Bayern supporters revelled in taunting their rivals.
“Sometimes you feel pretty lonely as a coach,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel mentioned.
It was solely the second time that United has completed backside of its Champions League group and the third event it has didn’t advance to the knockout stage in seven makes an attempt since former supervisor Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
A file of 15 objectives conceded within the group stage is essentially the most by any Premier League group within the competitors’s historical past, in line with Opta stats.
The odds had at all times been stacked towards United after managing only one win within the group going into its closing recreation.
Ten Hag’s group needed to finish Bayern’s event file 39-game unbeaten run within the group levels and nonetheless hope for a draw between Copenhagen and Galatasaray to take the runner-up spot.
But United barely troubled a Bayern group that had already been assured of high spot within the group and a spot within the knockout stage for the sixteenth straight season.
“We had our moments but just didn’t take them,” Ten Hag mentioned.
United’s prospects weren’t helped when, shortly earlier than halftime, Maguire was substituted due to an obvious groin harm. Jonny Evans changed the England worldwide.
Another defender, Shaw, was then substituted on the break, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka approaching in his place.
Bayern had created the higher probabilities within the first half, with Leroy Sane the guests’ greatest risk. But he obtained approach all improper with an tried side-foot volley from shut vary that didn’t hit the goal.
United’s finest alternative got here by Shaw’s shot that was punched over by Manuel Neuer.
Bayern broke the impasse with a aim of actual high quality.
Coman had harried United’s defenders as the house group struggled to play out from the again. When the ball broke free, substitute Thomas Muller flicked it to Kane, who performed an incisive go into the run of Coman.
With solely Andre Onana to beat, the ahead powered a shot into the underside nook to seal one other painful defeat for Ten Hag.
As Tuchel seems to be forward to the spherical of 16 and the potential of difficult for the title when the competitors resumes subsequent yr, he spared a thought for his reverse quantity.
“Almost always I feel sympathy for the other coach but, of course, within the competition we try everything to win matches,” he mentioned. “These are the rules of high level sports and of sports in general.”
Source web site: www.thehindu.com
