On This Day – 26th May
I have already written about Arsenal’s last-gasp victory over Liverpool in 1989, which I believe is the greatest last-minute win of all-time. This can be found here.
That victory for Arsenal took place on this day in 1989 but the article I am going to write about today took place 10 years after.
Manchester United faced Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final on 26th May 1999. They had already won the League and FA Cup Double and were hoping to complete an historic Treble at the Nou Camp in Barcelona.
Bayern took a sixth minute lead, courtesy of a free-kick from Mario Basler.
The kick was well-worked, as Markus Babbel stood on the edge of the United wall before stepping away just as Basler stepped up to take the kick. This deceived Peter Schmeichel in the United goal and cleared a path for the ball to fly into the bottom corner of the net.
There were numerous half-chances for both sides over the course of the first-half, but neither goalkeeper was properly tested.
In the second half, Jesper Blomquist fired over from an inswinging cross from Ryan Giggs on the right wing.
Mario Basler almost scored from the halfway line when he spotted Peter Schmeichel off his line. Fortunately for United and the Danish keeper, the ball sailed over the bar and Schmeichel avoided embarrassment.
Teddy Sheringham was brought on for Jesper Blomquist halfway through the second half and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with ten minutes to go. I think that you know why I’m mentioning this!
Bayern had other opportunities to score in the second half, Schmeichel saved well from Stefan Effenberg and Mehmet Scholl hit the post with a chip.
Solskjaer had United’s best opportunity of the game a minute after coming on, forcing Oliver Kahan into making a save from a header.
Carsten Jancker hit the crossbar with a bicycle kick from close-range.
Then came injury time. UEFA President Lennart Johannssen had left his seat in the stands to get down to pitchside for the presentation of the trophy.
United forced a corner. Peter Schmeichel went up to try and help the United cause. He may have helped by being in the way in the penalty area. The ball was cleared from the edge of the area where Ryan Giggs hit a hopeful shot at goal. Teddy Sheringham helped the ball on and it went into the back of the net.
Less than a minute later, United had won the game. David Beckham hit a corner in at the near post, it was headed on by Teddy Sheringham and Solskjaer forced the ball into the top corner of the net.
At this point, Lennart Johannssen had emerged at the side of the pitch. He couldn’t quite believe what was happening. He had missed both of United’s goals and so thought that he was about to hand the trophy to Bayern!
Bayern’s coloured ribbons had already been tied to the trophy in advance of the presentation!
United won the game and completed an historic Treble. It was Alex Ferguson’s greatest achievement in his career and earned him a knighthood for his efforts.
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