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United were without their first-choice central midfielders, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, as both had received yellow cards in the previous match against Juventus and were suspended for the final, so Ferguson reorganised the team. Jesper Blomqvist and Nicky Butt replaced Keane and Scholes, with David Beckham moving from right-wing to centre-midfield and Ryan Giggs moving from the left to the right wing. United lined up in their normal 4-4-2 formation.
Bayern Munich opened the scoring, Mario Basler scoring a free-kick after six minutes. Bayern then had the chance to extend their lead with Mehmet Scholl hitting the post and Carsten Jancker the crossbar, and forcing Peter Schmeichel to make numerous saves.
Needing a goal, Alex Ferguson substituted in Solskjær and Sheringham. As the game went to injury time, referee Pierluigi Collina indicated that three minutes would be played.
In one of the last attacks of the game, United gained a corner, which Beckham took. Keeper Schmeichel went up front for it. After the ball had been partially cleared, it was played back in to the feet of Ryan Giggs who sent a low volley into the path of Sheringham, who sent his scuffed shot low inside the post. A sense of relief and jubilation flooded the players and fans, and extra-time was now looking inevitable.
Almost immediately after the equaliser, United won another corner, again taken by Beckham. He landed the ball on the head of Sheringham who nodded it to Solskjær who toe-poked it into the roof of the net. Oliver Kahn, the German goalkeeper was motionless on the line. United had completed the come-back. The Bayern team barely managed to restart the game, which referee Collina brought to a close just a few seconds later.
During the celebrations United captain on the night – Peter Schmeichel – and manager Alex Ferguson both lifted the trophy together to the crowd. Normally, the captain alone lifts the trophy for the first time. Despite being suspended for the final, both Roy Keane and Paul Scholes received winners’ medals on the rostrum. Keane claims that to date he has not looked at the medal, feeling that his absence from the final had tainted the accomplishment to the extent that he didn't earn the medal. Substituted Bayern legend Lothar Matthäus removed his runner-up medal as soon as he received it and later asserted that United were "lucky" to win the final.[3]
Manchester United became the first English team to win the European Cup/Champions League since Liverpool won the European Cup in 1984, defeating Roma on penalties.
The date of the final would have been Sir Matt Busby's 90th birthday, the only Manager before Sir Alex Ferguson who has won the European Cup with Manchester United.
Manchester United [1 - 1] Bayern Munich
Manchester United [1 - 0] Bayern Munich, Basle
Manchester United [1 - 1] Bayern Munich, Sheringham
Manchester United [2 - 1] Bayern Munich, Solkjaer
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Classic Matches 
