Bayern knocks out Manchester United

Arjen Robben produced a second-half wonder-strike to send Bayern Munich through to the Champions League semifinals at the expense of Manchester United. The Dutchman fired an unstoppable volley to make it 3-2 to United on the night, 4-4 on aggregate and send the Germans through to the last four on the away goals rule.

United had led 3-0 on the night through two Nani goals and a Darron Gibson strike but Ivica Olic pulled one back and after Rafael was sent off early in the second-half, Robben sent Bayern fans wild with the vital goal 16 minutes from time.

Bayern will now play French side Lyon in the semifinal, with holders Barcelona taking on Inter Milan in the other semi. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had said he would not risk the fitness of Wayne Rooney after he injured his left ankle in the first leg, an injury that was expected to keep him out for two to three weeks.

But the England striker was included in the starting line-up, while Rafael and Michael Carrick came in for Gary Neville and Paul Scholes as Ferguson went for pace over experience, with Darron Gibson preferred to the likes of Dimitar Berbatov upfront.

And the decisions immediately paid dividends as United were 2-0 up within just seven minutes.

First Rooney found Gibson in space just inside the Bayern half and the young forward held off the defender’s challenge before rifling in a shot from 20 yards inside the near post of goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt, who appeared to be unsighted.

Bayern were rocked and their discomfort became real pain when Antonio Valencia ran down the wing and his cross found Nani, who produced a brilliant flick, which found the corner of the net.

Four minutes before half-time, the match looked over when United scored their third, a stylish move finishing with Nani sweeping the ball into the roof of the net from the edge of the box.

But against the odds Bayern hit back and Ivica Olic held off the challenge of Carrick before slotting the ball across Edwin van der Sar and into the far corner to pull one back.

There was still time for Arjen Robben to force a superb save from Van der Sar with a curling effort from just outside the box.

Things got worse for United within five minutes of the restart when full-back Rafael was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Ferguson replaced Rooney with John O’Shea to shore up the United defence, leaving them without a recognised striker.

Bayern poured forward in search of a second away goal — that would have been enough to put them through — and Franck Ribery forced Van der Sar to make another good stop with a brilliant left-foot volley.

At the other end, Nani went in search of his hat-trick and it took a brilliant save from Butt to stop him from finding United’s fourth, while Carrick fired a good chance over the bar from a corner soon after.

Substitute Mario Gomez saw a header skim the bar and then Gibson side-footed straight at Butt.

Bayern’s pressing had to tell at some stage and 17 minutes from time, Bayern got the goal they were after, with Robben slamming home an unstoppable volley from a Ribery corner.

Ferguson threw on Berbatov and Ryan Giggs for his last throw of the dice with 10 minutes to go but apart from a wide effort from Nani, they did not force the Bayern goalkeeper into a notable save.