New Delhi: A penalty shoot-out was required to separate the Bundesliga giants and the Premier League heavyweights.
Manchester United and Bayern Munich's participation in the Audi Cup was concluded on Thursday, but the winner did not emerge until the game's death as no difference-maker could break the stalemate that dogged the initial 90 minutes. The German powerhouse required nerves of steel to fend off the United threat and eventually triumphed after a protracted penalty shoot-out saga.
A bout of surprising swordmanship ensued from the off where each team not only eyed the other up but began striking in fierce play that belied the friendly status of the tie. Perhaps the manner in which Manchester United fought back in an epic Champions League final in 1999 was still fresh in Die Bayern's minds, and the Red Devils too wanted to repeat their psychological advantage.
Bayern managed to begin to exert their footballing game onto the Premier League title-winners, though, yet had it not been for some woeful play in the final third, Bayern could have been a goal to good inside ten minutes.
Netherlands international Mark van Bommel attempted to thread Mario Gomez through, but his pass had too much weight on and Gomez failed to get the connection. Just nine minutes later and Gomez again was in on the action, this time with a shot that struck the frame of Edwin van der Sar's goal. Van Bommel again acting as the playmaker, who managed to split Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans with his pass.
Bayern were on top of United for much of the opening stages of the first-half, and also indeed the greater of chances. Muller, half-way through the opening 45 minutes, could only tamely shoot at United's veteran glovesman, after tearing away from the opposition's midfield and defence.
Just before the break and there was one strong chance per team as creative Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov ensured Bayern were not the only team lamenting the position of the goal-posts as the former Tottenham Hotshot took advantage of some confused box-play that followed a corner-kick, only to be denied an opener by Michael Rensing's stick.
Just moments later Gomez could have ensured that FC Hollywood went into the break the happier of the sides but again his woeful productivity in front of goal let him down.
Sir Alex Ferguson's half-time team talk must have proved inspirational as his side came out the blocks with far more effectiveness in the concluding half.
On the hour-mark, free acquisition Michael Owen forced a strong save from Rensing after a good passage of play from ageing midfielder Paul Scholes.
Each manager tried to change the game with a flurry of substitutions, and it was England's golden boy Wayne Rooney - earmarked this season to occupy more of a central role as he has done in superb fashion under the national tutelage of Fabio Capello - who could have stolen the win, and the Audi Cup on the 86th minute prior to an epic penalty showdown.
Penalties
Ryan Giggs 1-1 Alexander Baumjohann
Anderson 2-2 Edson Braafheid
Nani 3-3 Hamit Altintop
Patrice Evra 3-3 Danijel Pranjic
Wayne Rooney 4-4 Jose Ernesto Sosa
Darren Fletcher 5-5 Andreas Ottl
Paul Scholes 6-6 Holger Badstuber
Jonathan Evans 6-7 Daniel Van Buyten
Line Ups
Bayern Munich - Rensing; Lahm, Demichelis, Breno, Braafheid; Tymoschuk; Mark van Bommel, Schweinsteger; Baumjohann; Muller, Gomez.
Manchester United - Van der Sar; Fletcher, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra; Nani, Scholes, Gibson, Giggs; Berbatov; Owen.
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