Little Leverkusen gatecrash Man U party

United skipper Roy Keane put the visitors in front against the run of play by hitting the back of a net from a tight angle in the 28th minute. Germany striker Oliver Neuville collected a pass from Turkish playmaker Yildiray Basturk to slot the ball under the crossbar for the equaliser just before half-time.

Leverkusen and the Germany team might have to pay a high price for the achievement as central defender and captain Jens Nowotny hurt his knee in a clash with Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy in the 10th minute.

The German international was carried off on a stretcher with suspected cruciate ligament damage that could dash his hopes of playing in the World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan starting on May 31. By reaching the final of European club soccer’s premier event, Leverkusen bounced back in style three days after a 0-1 defeat at strugglers Nuremberg cost them the Bundesliga lead with one game to play. Now second one point behind Borussia Dortmund, they received a welcome morale boost before they resume their hunt for a first German crown when they entertain Hertha Berlin in the final league programme next Saturday.

Leverkusen are also through to the German Cup final and remain on course for an historic treble since no German club has won the domestic league and Cup titles and the European Cup in the same season.

Manchester United, who achieved the treble in 1999, were given an early scare by Leverkusen in Tuesday’s semi-final when mid-fielder Bernd Schneider hit the post with a curled effort from outsde the box in the 13th minute.

The visitors threatened for the first time four minutes later with a header from Norway defender Ronny Johnsen that Brazilian mid-fielder Ze Roberto cleared from the line. The home side then appeared to lose momentum but Neuville’s goal put them back on track and they came up with a spirited challenge after the break. Substitute Diego Forlan came close to keeping alive United manager Alex Ferguson’s hopes of watching his team play the final in his home town of Glasgow with a late drive that Argentine defender Diego Placente saved on the line.

United, whose dream of a third European crown and a second final appearance in four seasons was shattered on the BayArena pitch, were left still chasing their first victory over a German club in Germany in 36 years. Leverkusen maintained a tradition as the previous two European Cup finals played at Hampden Park involved German clubs. Eintracht Frankfurt were humbled 3-7 by Real Madrid there in 1960 and Bayern Munich beat French side St Etienne in the same stadium in 1976. If the factory club are in line to become the third German club to win the Champions League after Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Bayern last year, they owe a lot to Michael Ballack. The inspirational mid-fielder, who had been the linchpin of their brilliant run, played with remarkable determination on Tuesday despite the pain from a bruised foot that almost ruled him out.

(Reuters)