Vidic keeps

ManchesterUnited Bayern Munich 1 1

MANCHESTER UNITED will travel to Germany with their Champions League hopes still alive after holding the much-vaunted Bayern Munich 1-1 at Old Trafford in the first leg of the quarter-final.

United held off the reigning European champions with a battling defensive display before taking the lead through Nemanja Vidic’s excellent 58th minute header.

Bayern had failed to make their possession count but Bastian Schweinsteiger’s lethal finish for the equaliser will see the German side be strong favourites to go through.

United will at least not have to face Schweinsteiger in the second leg as the Bayern skipper was sent off near the final whistle for a second booking after bringing down Wayne Rooney.

There have been some historic encounters between these two sides but this match will be some way down the list.

United fans could at least be grateful that this was not a home humiliation of the sort Liverpool and Manchester City have recently inflicted on David Moyes’ team and which, given their record this season, looked a distinct threat by Bayern.

The first half was a one-sided affair in favour of the Germans in terms of territory and possession. For all of that, though, it was United, defending the 18-yard line in numbers and with tenacity, who managed to contrive the best chances.

Danny Welbeck promised some early joy when he rammed home a fierce strike from the edge of the box, but the whistle had already gone for dangerous play for a high foot — much to United’s fury,

That was but a brief interlude, however, in the wave after wave of Bayern attacks, orchestrated by their wing wonders Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.

Robben curved an effort a yard past the post, then saw another 20-yard strike tipped around the post by David de Gea.

United’s passing was pedestrian to the point of embarrassing and Old Trafford’s growing frustration with Marouane Fellaini came close to spilling over as the tall Belgian struggled with his passing and even found himself out-jumped for headers that he seemed clear favourite to win.

For all Bayern’s superiority, there was always the suspicion that Jerome Boateng was a vulnerable point of weakness to Welbeck’s pace.

The England striker had already hit another firm shot straight at Manuel Neuer before Rooney played a through-ball, Boateng stumbled and Welbeck raced in on

Pictures: PA. Bastian Schweinsteiger, centre, celebrates after scoring.