• Bayern Munich 3-1 Manchester United

Moyes blasts 'schoolboy' defending

ESPN staff
April 9, 2014
Arjen Robben completed the win when he danced past the United defence to score © Getty Images
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Manchester United manager David Moyes criticised his side for "schoolboy" defending as they quickly surrendered their advantage over Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final at the Allianz Arena.

Patrice Evra's stunning opening goal in Munich handed United a brief glimpse at a place in the semi-finals at the expense of the reigning European champions, only for Pep Guardiola's Bayern to race up the other end of the field and score 22 seconds after the re-start.

When asked where he felt the tie had got away from United, Moyes was swift to reflect on a lost opportunity as his side failed to hold onto their lead.

Bayern end United's Euro dream

Patrice Evra opened the scoring, but the lead lasted just 22 seconds © Getty Images
  • David Moyes' first season as Manchester United manager will conclude without a trophy after Bayern Munich ended their Champions League dream with a 3-1 win at the Allianz Arena.
  • Click here for the full report

"When you are a schoolboy, you get told make sure once you score you don't concede right away and we conceded too quickly," he reflected.

"It was always going to be a tough night and after we got the first goal, we always needed to give ourselves five or ten minutes to stop them getting the ball, but from the kick off, they went up the other end and scored.

"I don't know if it was a bit of concentration, but we had enough experience on the pitch tonight to make sure they shouldn't have done it.

"We made it difficult for them and tactically we tried to stifle them as much as we could. I though for long periods, we done that, but the only crime is we conceded right after we scored, and that makes it difficult."

Despite his obvious disappointment, Moyes refused to chastise his players for a performance that ensured United went out of the Champions League with their pride intact.

"We didn't do an awful lot wrong," he continued. "I thought the players played ever so well. I was really pleased with their performance, but just a couple of small errors have probably cost us in the end.

"I never thought we were out of the game. I always felt we were in with a chance and when it was 2-1, we only needed to score one more goal. The third goal obviously killed us, but I felt there was a bit of bad luck in that goal.

"They are a really good side, they showed it. They have players who can play in different positions and in different way, but I thought we done what we had to do."

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