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FC Basel boot Red Devils out of CL

Comment: 0 December 8th, 2011 by: admin

MANCHESTER United needed just a draw to advance.

Unfortunately, the Red Devils failed to live up to expectations and paid dearly for playing lackadaisically.

The result was a shocking 2-1 loss at FC Basel on a cold Wednesday night that booted them out of the Champions League.

Last year’s beaten finalists bowed to the unheralded hosts whose win is sure to gain accolades in the history of Swiss football.

It was United’s second group-stage exit in 16 consecutive Champions League stints since 1996.

A pall of gloom was cast over the United dugout after the defeat as manager Sir Alex Ferguson expressed his disappointment. ‘There’s no other way you can feel. It’s a loss because it’s the best tournament in the world.’

On the other side of the fence, Basel’s novice interim boss Heiko Vogel was ecstatic. ‘I can just beam with pride. Tactically, mentally, physically everything just worked right.’

Basel’s glorious goals were made by captain Marco Streller in the 9^th minute, and fellow forward Alex Frei in the 84^th. Phil Jones prevented a shutout loss for United by salvaging one in the 89^th.

With the win, notched in front of a delirious crowd at the rain-soaked St. Jakob Park, Basel joined Group C winner Benfica among Europe’s elite in the last 16 draw set next week.

United, a champion and twice runners-up in the previous four seasons, wound up third and found themselves relegated to the second-tier Europa League slated to start next February – a penalty Ferguson said they got for not qualifying. Their woes were compounded by the loss of skipper Nemanja Vidic who appeared to have seriously injured his right knee.

Defender Patrice Evra said they deserve to be eliminated. ‘We should have woken up earlier in this competition.’

While the Red Devils wore long faces after the match, Basel players whooped and hollered as they made a victory lap at their home turf as if they had already bagged the championship trophy.

Their first Group C meeting at Old Trafford ended in 3-3 draw, a result that tilted the balance of power in the group.

Ferguson said they were careless in that game as they wasted a 2-0 lead en route to the standoff.

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