United beaten by late blitz in Spain

One stroke of good fortune for United was the absence of Djalminha, the most talented of Deportivo?s four Brazilian stars whose perception and imagination have usually been the axis on which the Spaniards build their success. It was clearly Deportivo?s intent to stretch the United defence by playing two men wide, with Diego Tristan, scorer of 19 goals in 28 games last season, operating through the middle.

The name of the game for United was patience but they were perhaps excessively tentative in the opening probing stages. Despite this, Ferguson?s side were not being over-taxed, though a cross from Romero skidded across the face of their six-yard area.

The Spaniards were playing some measured football ? their passing incisive, quick and accurate ? and the dangerous Tristan got in behind Gary Neville to try a cheeky nearpost shot which Fabien Barthez saved by sticking out a boot.

United were relying on counterattack. David Beckham spotted goalkeeper Francisco Molina off his line and tried to chip him from the half-way line ? a la his famous goal at Wimbledon ? but the effort drifted over the bar. Scholes then produced a peach of a pass left to right to pick out Beckham. His centre was headed back by Ryan Giggs but Veron could not control his shot, which flew over the bar.

Though under sustained pressure at times, United generally defended with assurance but they almost succumbed in the 34th minute when Holland international Roy Makaay produced a wonderful instinctive save from Barthez.

The rebound fell to Romero and the Spain forward would have given his side the lead had he not anxiously and hastily struck his shot over the bar. Such is the fate of football that instead of going ahead, Deportivo found themselves a goal down five minutes from half-time. Giggs had one of those moments of possession where he back tracks and then releases the ball.

Scholes was the recipient and he in turn moved toward goal hoping to find Van Nistelrooy. In fact, the ball came back to him as the Dutchman tussled with a defender and with the venom Scholes so often can summon, he whipped the ball into the net.

Deportivo coach Javier Irureta sought and got an early second-half surge from his side but with concentration and care, United?s defence, in which Ronnie Johnsen had been outstanding, held their lines.

The probing was relentless, broken only occasionally by spells of mesmeric passing from United. Tristan at last got a sight of goal and he drilled in a fine shot which the acrobatic Barthez punched away in dramatic style to his right. Indeed, he had need for his elasticity again, this time to keep out a headed back pass from Denis Irwin as the siege of United?s goal continued.

Even Giggs and Beckham were retreating deep into their own half to lend a hand as the Spaniards probed for the equaliser. United still managed the isolated attack and Roy Keane, who had worked tirelessly, had a shot bounce off the chest of goalkeeper Molina after good approach play by Scholes and Van Nistelrooy.

There were just four minutes left when all United?s hard work was undone with a burst of two goals in three minutes.

A superb chip and some indecision from Gary Neville played substitute Walter Pandiani onside before he drove past Barthez for the equaliser. With a minute remaining, Nourredine Naybet thumped the ball into the roof of the net from close range as United were backpedalling furiously.