WOLFSBURG 3, MANCHESTER UNITED 2
United take the lead but crash out after late defeat at Volkswagen Arena
The Reds will drop into the Europa League after finishing third in Group B after PSV beat CSKA.
Injury list lengthens after Matteo Darmian (hamstring) and Chris Smalling (groin) pick up knocks
Louis Van Gaal admits he “cannot defend himself” but claims Capital One Cup run and Champions League is progress
Manchester United finished third in Champions League Group B and will participate in the Europa League for the fourth time after the defeat in Germany to Wolfsburg.
Reds manager Louis Van Gaal said it was a “crazy match” after the Germans exploited holes in an inexperienced back line to immediately respond to United goals and defeat them on home soil.
“When you give two times away two goals after you have scored, it’s difficult to understand after you have defended so well normally.
“I’m happy that we have scored but not happy that we have given away two times within two minutes goals.
“I have to analyse why that has happened.”
Van Gaal was disappointed to be out of the Champions League but insisted that United had made progress under him.
“At the moment, I cannot defend myself because we are out of the Champions League.
“But when you see the facts, we went further in the Capital One Cup, we qualified for the Champions League group stag and we are still in a very good position in the league.
“We are better than last year.”
Defeat in Germany combined with a PSV Eindhoven win over CSKA Moscow left them two points behind PSV, and four points behind Wolfsburg in Group B.
Injuries had already forced Louis Van Gaal to replace Morgan Schneiderlin and Paddy McNair with Memphis and, with his first start for United on his Champions League debut, 22 year old Uruguayan right back Guillermo Varela.
United were immediately more of an exciting side than the one which had recorded five 0-0 scorelines in the previous nine games but their defensive solidity deserted them during some haphazard defending.
The Reds had early hopes of progress from their group after a 10th minute Anthony Martial goal appeared to have set them on the way to victory courtesy of a Juan Mata through ball.
Martial’s goal was his first for the club since United visited Moscow on October 21 – his 6th in all competitions for the Reds after a barren spell of eight domestic games.
Wolfsburg were quickly level after barely two minutes when centre half Naldo volleyed home an equaliser within three minutes from a set piece.
And the Reds found themselves behind after half an hour when Vieirinha finished a slick Wolfsburg move set up by Julian Draxler to put the home side into a lead and pushed United into third place in Group B.
There were two before blows before the break when Matteo Darmian limped off with a hamstring injury and United had an equaliser in first half injury time goal for Jesse Lingard chalked off for offside.
United were under the cosh in the second half with their makeshift defence including two inexperienced full backs and David De Gea had to make three saves to keep United in the game.
There was a brief glimmer of hope late in the second half when United fans heard that CSKA Moscow had scored a penalty through Sergei Ignashevich against PSV Eindhoven in the other Group B game.
Defeat for PSV would have meant United would have limped into the last 16 courtesy of the Russians but the door shut on the Reds when Luuk De Jong levelled the scores for PSV barely two minutes later.
Hope was raised again with 8 minutes to go when Marouane Fellaini forced an equaliser after his header was flicked past his own ‘keeper by Josuha Guilavogui.
But Naldo’s header put Wolfsburg back into the lead two minutes later and PSV’s Davy Propper confirmed a famous 2-1 victory for PSV over CSKA Moscow soon after in Holland to bury United’s Champions League hopes for this season.