‘At no point did I think we’d lost 1999 Champions League Final – we’d scored in injury time a few times that season. What was surprising was scoring twice!’: Peter Schmeichel relives Manchester United's miraculous victory
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Mario Basler’s free-kick put Bayern in front after only six minutes, and the Germans held the lead all the way to stoppage time.
The Red Devils kept going though, having been renowned for late goals in what became known as ‘Fergie Time’.
“The game wasn’t great, but when Alex Ferguson changed the system and made substitutions, we started to play a bit better, Bayern started to tire and we created opportunities,” Schmeichel exclusively tells FourFourTwo.
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Solskjaer's winner in the final
“At no point did we think we’d lost – I always thought there’d be a chance we could get back into it. We were trying to get to extra-time. We’d scored in injury time quite a few times that season, what was surprising was scoring the second goal in that same period!”
Schmeichel went forward himself for the corner that led to Manchester United’s equaliser, when Teddy Sheringham fired home from close range. Two minutes later, Sheringham flicked on another David Beckham corner, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer poked home an incredible winner.
United celebrating the trophy
“If there’s an ultimate way to win a game, that’s the way – although I wouldn’t recommend you trying it!” Schmeichel laughs.
“Over the years, it’s felt like everybody in the world saw that final, lived those three minutes and has a story to tell. That’s why that night is more alive to me than anything else I’ve ever done in my life.”
Schmeichel was speaking in association with Frank’s RedHot Sauce
Chris joined FourFourTwo in 2015 and has reported from 20 countries, in places as varied as Jerusalem and the Arctic Circle. He's interviewed Pele, Zlatan and Santa Claus (it's a long story), as well as covering the World Cup, Euro 2020 and the Clasico. He previously spent 10 years as a newspaper journalist, and completed the 92 in 2017.
