The Champions League game between Manchester United and Wolfsburg at Old Trafford on Wednesday Sept 30, 2009.
One-nil down to German opposition in Europe? No problem. Manchester United have been here before, most famously to Bayern Munich in the Champions League final, and they duly kept their nerve, showed their experience and motored to victory against the tidy VW works team with a deflected free-kick from Ryan Giggs, his 150th goal for the club, and ! a splendid strike from Michael Carrick.
Apart from occasionally suspect defending, the only disappointing moment of the night was that Michael Owen lasted only 20 minutes in front of Fabio Capello before succumbing to a groin problem. The England striker, the scourge of German defences in the past, left the field to chants of "Auf wiedersehen'' from the lively Wolfsburg supporters.
As they departed into the drizzle, United fans will still have been delighted by three points and strong performances from Dimitar Berbatov, Antonio Valencia, Wayne Rooney and the two goalscorers.
As the rain swept across the Pennines, persuading a few United fans to stay at home in the dry, the champions of England had begun uncertainly, their defence betraying a worrying nervousness, a trait that would be seen in Edin Dzeko's second-half goal.
Early on, Nemanja Vidic lost possession deep in his area, all! owing Christian Gentner a brief sight of goal. Then Patrice! Evra sk ewed a cross-field ball straight to Dzeko, who fired wide. One of the features of the Premier League season, errors at the back, were being carried across into the Champions League.
When Rio Ferdinand was then beaten by Grafite, the writing seemed on the wall but United re-grouped, saw off the danger and started to reveal their class. If Vidic was still vulnerable at times, Ferdinand settled well, showing fine anticipation to snake out a foot and nick the ball off Dzeko.
The back-door rocking less on its hinges, United pushed forward, the charge surprisingly led by Antonio Valencia. Having arrived from homely Wigan Athletic, Valencia's start to his United career has been characterised by inhibition but he raised his adventure levels in the first half, running at and beyond Wolfsburg's left-back, Marcel Schafer, who was fortunate not to concede a penalty when handling one cross from United's No 25.
Pinching posses! sion off Schafer moments later, Valencia instantly transferred the ball inside to Berbatov and tore into the box. Berbatov, in lively form, back-heeled the ball into Valencia's path but the Ecuadorean screwed his shot wide. Old Trafford really started warming to Valencia.
Berbatov, having replaced Owen, was similarly inspired, dropping off Rooney and constantly looking to thread eye-of-the-needle passes through the German back-line. Holding off two defenders, Berbatov flicked the ball through to Carrick, who was enjoying a decent half, and had timed his run well to beat the offside trap. Benaglio saved well.
The half finished with more flowing moves from United, first the ball heading towards Rooney via two back-heels from Valencia and Berbatov but Benaglio saved again. Valencia then crossed and Carrick, stretching, managed to make contact but Benaglio clutched the header.
On another encouraging note just before th! e break, Owen Hargreaves ran down the steps of the director! s' box, clearly moving freely after his knee operation. The England international hopes to be playing by the end of November, good news for Capello as well as Ferguson.
United continue to pressure after the break, Anderson briefly threatening. Wolfsburg continued to absorb and hit on the counter, notably in the 56th minute when they seized a shock lead. Poor concentration and positioning cost United. As Viktor Kassai played advantage after Josue was impeded by Carrick, United froze, half-expecting a free-kick against them.
The whistle from the Hungarian referee never came, Kassai allowing Makoto Hasebe to lift in a cross as United struggled to re-form their defence. Dzeko had made his move, peeling away to the far-post, where he towered over Evra in directing a powerful header past Tomasz Kuszczak.
As the Germans celebrated wildly, their fans leaning over the hoardings and hammering the boards, United plotted their response! . With the Stretford End baying "attack, attack, attack'', the English champions equalised within three minutes.
As so often over the past 17 years, United looked to Giggs for succour. When it counted, the Welshman delivered for them again, although his 150th career goal for United had a deflected touch of fortune about it. When Josue fouled Anderson 25 yards out, the Germans built a wall but left a weakness. As Giggs curled the free-kick towards the wall, Gentner turned his back, the ball hitting the full-back and wrongfooting Benaglio.
United are so experienced in these situations, staying calm whatever the pressure, and they moved ahead with 13 minutes remaining from a move that contained all their strengths of passing, persistence and a glorious finish. Evra began this delicious odyssey, directing a throw-in to Rooney on the left.
The England attacker whipped in a cross which Berbatov controlled expertly, ! despite the speed it came at him, despite the attentions of W! olfsburg defenders. The Bulgarian rolled the ball back to Giggs, who failed to collect it at the first attempt, but soon touched it to Carrick 20 yards out.
What a finish. Meeting the ball first time, Carrick sent it curling past Benaglio, sparking great celebrations on the Stretford End and a wry response from the noisy German fans of "You only sing when you're winning'' in excellent English.
