The Champions League had been providing David Moyes with a little shelter this season.
The Manchester United manager would last night be exposed to the elements in Germany as Bayern Munich produced a gusty performance to reach the semi-finals. Moyes was simply blown off course.
He had uncovered a vein of form in European competition, one which the Scot mined last week to earn a 1-1 draw in the first leg of a tie with the defending champions. United were treated to another glittering moment last night as Patrice Evra scored just before the hour mark to provide both in Munich and the tie, yet there would be no silver lining for Moyes.
The United manager instead has just the clouds and the promise of more rain.
It came in a deluge in the second half as first Mario Mandzukic equalised for the home side within seconds of the opener, then Thomas Mueller tucked a second goal away just nine minutes later. Arjen Robben - a player whose hairline continues to recede far more rapidly than his talents with a ball - forced in a third, albeit via the big toe of United captain Nemanja Vidic.
It would be unfair to suggest that the Serb had put his foot in it since United stood up to their illustrious hosts. Moyes sought to constrict their talents, but only so that his players might be incited to open up. Darren Fletcher lofted one early pass towards Wayne Rooney, only for the England striker to dawdle and then whip a shot into the face of Dante.
Another chance came Rooney's way later in the first half but scuffed the ball apologetically at goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. The United forward required a painkilling injection in a toe to feature last night but he would stomp off at the break as though he had just stubbed the digit against the skirting board.
Evra would have greater success with his own toe bash - striding on to a loose ball to clatter a shot high past Neuer. Moyes raced from his seat in the technical area with such ferocity one assumed that the Scot was intent on following the ball in.
Yet it was at most a spanner in the works for Bayern. This is a team composed of German engineering but driven towards success by a Catalan called Pep. Guardiola was without the suspended Bastian Schweinsteiger, but opted to place Mandzukic from the start. Seconds after falling behind, he had picked his side up again with a neat finish.
United were then battered by the elements, and goals from Mueller and Robben.
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