SK Sturm Graz 0 - 2 Manchester United

	Scholes guides the opener past Sidorczuk (RossKinnaird/Allsport)

For nine months United had laboured away from the sanctuary of Old Trafford, losing twice and drawing three times.

Since winning 3-0 at Sturm Graz back in September 1999, the Reds had managed just two wins from their subsequent nine away games.

But Scholes provided the panacea for their ills when he netted the all-important opening goal in the Arnold Schwarzengger stadium.

Ryan Giggs came off the bench to wrap up the victory two minutes from time, but there was no doubt that Scholes was the hero of this victory and he might have had a second but for a great save by Kazimierz Sidorczuk.

Dwight Yorke had given Graz a taste of what was to come when he let fly from 20 yards and keeper Sidorczuk held it at the second attempt.

Sidorczuk then saved a Wes Brown header before Yorke blazed over from a decent opening on the right.

Scholes showed his team-mates the way when he scored after 17 minutes with their first away goal in Europe in open play for 473 minutes.

Yorke crossed from the left and Teddy Sheringham cleverly backheeled the ball on for Scholes coming in on the right. He lifted it over Sidorczuk with his right foot and into the far corner for his fifth Champions League goal of the season.

The visitors began to knock the ball about with a swagger normally reserved for Premiership games.

Graz could barely get a touch of the ball and when they did have possession they could do little with it.

Even when Graz did manage a shot on goal they found Fabien Barthez in no mood to be beaten.

The French international, making his 50th European appearance, did well to push away a 30-yard free-kick from Ivica Vastic, which was heading for the bottom corner.

United could have had a second from a swift counter-attack. Roy Keane won the ball in his own half and found David Beckham, who played a great pass up to Yorke on the left side of the area. He knocked the ball on for Sheringham to loop a header over the bar.

Graz threatened after the break and Mehrdad Minavand sent over a teasing cross only for Markus Schopp and Mamedov to get in each other's way and both missed the ball.

Beckham, who tried to kick Tomislav Kocijan at the same ground last season, was involved in another spat in almost the exact same area of the pitch - this time with Minavand.

Beckham appeared to spit at Minavand's feet after he had been fouled by the Iranian and he refused to take his hand. Beckham then tumbled to the ground again as the pair ran off together.

Scholes almost doubled United's lead from the resultant free-kick and his sweet volley from just inside the area was expertly saved one-handed by Sidorczuk.

	Giggs hammers home the second (RossKinnaird/Allsport)

The Graz fans among the sell-out 16,500 crowd then screamed in vain for a penalty when Vastic went down in the area even though no United player made contact with the striker.

The Reds continued to fashion the best chances and Sheringham forced Sidorczuk to make another good save from a 25-yard shot.

Graz finally beat Barthez in the 72nd minute only for Kocijan's 25-yard piledriver to rebound off the crossbar.

Graz went close again when Keane almost deflected a cross into his own net only for Barthez to make a fine instinctive block.

Then with two minutes from time, Yorke set up Giggs on the left and after briefly pondering a cross the Welshman rammed the ball home left-footed from a tight angle.