UNITED STUNNED BY BAYERN FIGHTBACK

UNITED STUNNED BY BAYERN FIGHTBACK

Ivica Olic scored an injury-time winner as Manchester United lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash.

United made a terrific start when in-form marksman Wayne Rooney grabbed his 33rd goal of a highly-productive season after just two minutes in the Allianz Arena.

The game continued at a terrfic pace thereafter with chances aplenty for both sides, but it was Bayern who claimed an equaliser after 77 minutes when Ribery's deflected free-kick set up a tense finale.

With both sides gunning for victory, it was Bayern who claimed the advantage heading into next Wednesday's second leg at Old Trafford when Olic ran through the United defence and kept a cool head to drill a low shot past Edwin van der Sar

United went ahead with their first attack when Martin Demichelis fouled Nani out on the right touchline and the Portuguese winger's free-kick picked out the unmarked Rooney, who volleyed in left footed from close range with just 74 seconds on the clock.

United continued to press, with Rooney working a couple of shooting opportunies which came to nothing, while Nani dragged a left-footed shot wide after stepping inside.

Edwin van der Sar was called into action on the 20-minute mark when he got down low to save Ribery's deflected left-footed shot.

Moments later, Nani's teasing cross bounced off the top of Hans-Jorg Butt's crossbar as the game switched from end to end.

But that was Bayern's cue to turn the screw and when Hamit Altintop volleyed the ball across goal, Ivica Olic squandered a glorious chance to turn in the equaliser from close range.

But with Bayern turning up the heat, it was United who should have scored again when Rooney found himself free in front of goal, Butt making a good low save to keep the hosts alive.

The second half started in a similar fashion, with van der Sar making a save at his near post to deny Olic after a smart one-two with Ribery.

Altintop's trickery then created space with van der Sar repelling his drive, while Mark van Bommel's fierce run and shot was comfortably held by the Dutch stopper.

United brought on Antonio Valencia and Dimitar Berbatov in a bid to get a foothold in the attacking third again, but it was Bayern who again came close as van der Sar again denied Olic with a low save.

However, the equaliser arrived with 13 minutes left when Ribery's free-kick from 25 yards hit Rooney's heels and left van der Sar flat-footed on his line.

Both sides went searching for a winner, with Vidic's thunderous header from a Ryan Giggs cross almost winning it for United, while Mario Gomez was denied by a great save from van der Sar in added-on time.

But just a minute later, Olic ghosted through the United defence before drilling a low shot past van der Sar to give Bayern the first-leg lead and exorcise some of the demons of the 1999 final.

And United's miserable evening was compounded by an ankle injury suffered by Rooney in the build-up to Bayern's last-gasp winner.