Manchester United Legends 5, Bayern Munich Legends 0
The Treble Reunion Legends game finished with Manchester United’s Legends team thrashing Bayern Munich Legends 5-0 at Old Trafford.
The game marked 20 years since United won the Treble of Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League, raising well over £1.5 million in revenue on a day which saw former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson return to the home dugout for the first time since major surgery following a brain haemorrhage last May.
United won the game with goals by Dwight Yorke, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Nicky Butt, Louis Saha, and David Beckham.
Paul Scholes, who was suspended for the final, started because Ryan Giggs was absent with Wales. Phil Neville was away with England’s Women’s team while Roy Keane – suspended for the final in 1999 – was also absent.
The stars of the show were Jaap Stam for his enthusiastic tackling alongside his reliable partner Ronny Johnsen, while David Beckham got fulsome applause on his return to Old Trafford.
His crosses from the right – topped off with a last minute goal – were something that United’s modern team have been missing in recent seasons along with the stout defending provided by Stam and Johnsen.
Andrew Cole, who had been recovering from kidney surgery, was replaced after two minutes by current United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
And the United legends were soon in the lead after a quality delivery from David Beckham was saved by Hans-Jorg Butt from Dwight Yorke’s shot but the rebound went back out to the forward who backheeled it into the path of Jesper Blomqvist who crossed for a tap in by Solskjaer after just 5 minutes.
Although this was a friendly game, with the Norwegian withdrawn after 27 minutes, Stam didn’t seem to have got the memo – dishing out meaty challenges to the satisfaction of the watching crowd.
Several crunching tackles later Bayern could have levelled the scores later but Ze Roberto’s free kick from 25 yards was deflected over the bar.
United’s second goal was scored by Yorke, a volley from Blomqvist’s left wing cross just 9 yards out in the 30th minute.
David Beckham and Jaap Stam hugely popular amongst Old Trafford crowd at the Treble Reunion game
The ever popular Beckham crossed for Teddy Sheringham who was wide of the mark as Old Trafford enjoyed itself in the sun.
Bayern weren’t taking the game quite as seriously as United, though Paulo Sergio headed over from Ze Roberto’s cross and Peter Schmeichel had to be alert to a couple of Bayern chances.
Paul Scholes looped the ball into the net after his forward pass came off Gary Neville but could hardly conceal his smile as he knew he was offside before trying his shot.
Ex-Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis blocked Scholes’ shot on the line in the second half following a number of changes for the visitors.
It wasn’t the first clash between the two players but the feud kept fans engaged as it became clear that some of Ferguson’s old team were treating it as more than a friendly.
Ronny Johnsen put in a well timed tackle with Ivica Olic through through on goal with Stam matching him in robbing the Bayern forward minutes later.
Gary Neville blazed wide before Stam got a standing ovation as he came off.
And then Butt won a free kick 20 yards out. Inevitably, Beckham stepped up to take it but the wall got in the way again while Teddy Sheringham managed to miss the target when clean through.
Nicky Butt finally managed to get on the scoresheet with 11 minutes to go when he drilled in Louis Saha’s cutback from 17 yards out inside the right corner.
And Saha grabbed a goal for himself, tapping into the empty net from 6 yards out after Karel Pobosky released Jonathan Greening who crossed from the right for the striker to get on the scoresheet with 5 minutes to go.
Beckham had the last word when he jinked past Hans Pflugler before scoring a very popular 5th goal for the Reds with the last kick of the game.
LEGENDS STATS
Man Utd Legends: Schmeichel (Van der Gouw 35, Pilkington 74), G Neville, Stam (Brown 68), Johnsen (Berg 80), Irwin (Sylvestre 57), Beckham, Butt, Scholes (Greening 59), Blomqvist (Poborsky 46), Yorke (Saha 42), Cole (Solskjaer 2, Sheringham 27, May 80)
Goals: Solskjaer 5,Yorke 30, Butt 79, Saha 85, Beckham 90
Bayern Munich Legends: Butt, Witecek, Demichelis, Matthaus, Ottl, Ze Roberto, Effenberg, Paulo Sergio, Olic, Makaay, Elber
Bayern Legends Subs used: Dreher, Babbel, Pflugler, Kuffour, Augenthaler, van Buyten, Nerlinger, Sternkopf, Schupp, Fink, Lakies, Jancker
Bayern Legends Subs not used: Babbel, Toni
Attendance: 61,175