Bayer Leverkusen 1 - 1 Manchester United

	Paul Scholes can't stop Diego Placente at full stretch in the BayArena (PhilCole/Allsport)

This time Ole Gunnar Solskjaer missed, and this time, in the BayArena that claims English victims with such ruthless regularity, it was the turn of the Germans to revel in Manchester United's despair.

How Sir Alex Ferguson's side tried, how their travelling fans cried, and how, in the cruellest of circumstances, another dream died.

Not even Roy Keane, that inspirational skipper whose performance against Juventus so memorably carried his colleagues to the European Cup Final three years ago, could produce his unique blend of magic last night.

The team that triumphed in Turin were losers in Leverkusen, denying Ferguson that Hampden Park final he so desired, a night when the greatest manager of a generation would return to his spiritual home.

That another season should end because of the same away-goals rule that had punished them four years earlier must have been painful indeed. In their third semi-final in five years, they never suffered the full ignominy of defeat, yet they returned home in the early hours of this morning bruised and beaten.

Three times they led Bayer Leverkusen over the two legs, and three times in this enthralling contest they saw the ball cleared off the opposition's line. Even Solskjaer wasted his chance to strike, somehow blasting a close-range effort over the Leverkusen crossbar when it seemed, with only minutes remaining, the scene was set for another remarkable rescue act.

When United eventually reflect on their failure to reach a second European Cup final in four seasons, they will doubtless conclude that the 82 minutes they were without Keane proved the difference.

It was in his absence that Klaus Toppmoller's team secured a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, the Irishman delaying his comeback from injury until late in that disastrous first leg, and how those goals hurt United here in Germany's industrial north.

Keane did all he could last night, scoring the opening goal in the 28th minute with a truly magnificent finish, but in the end his team-mates never quite got to grips with their well organised opponents and with Oliver Neuville's equaliser came the blow from which they could not respond.

If United had their opportunities, so too did the Germans, who in truth deserved their place in the final more than the soon-to-bedeposed English champions. At Old Trafford, Leverkusen boasted a 55 per cent share of possession, and again they dominated a United team frustrated by their inability to seize control.

In attempting to loosen Leverkusen's grip, Ferguson had taken the somewhat surprising step of selecting Juan Sebastian Veron in a more advanced role. Frustratingly for Ferguson, however, it failed to work and not for the first time Britain's most expensive footballer struggled to justify that £28million price tag.

Leverkusen were lively from the start, the determined running of Bernd Schneider, in particular, presenting United with one or two early problems and then producing the game's first real threat on goal. In turning on a clever pass from Diego Placente, he struck Fabien Barthez's left-hand post with a delightful curling effort.

By then the Germans had lost the rock of their defence, Jens Nowotny, in a tackle with Ruud van Nistelrooy and that gave United hope. For Nowotny it turned out to be disaster, the German international defender having suffered a cruciate ligament injury that will rule him out of the World Cup.

United certainly took advantage of his misfortune, Ronny Johnsen meeting a Ryan Giggs corner in the 16th minute with a header that was blocked on the line by Ze Roberto.

There was nothing they could do about United's goal, though, Boris Zivkovic's slip allowing Keane to complete a delightful one-two with Van Nistelrooy before taking the ball around Jorg Butt and scoring from the tightest of angles.

At this stage United's challenge appeared to be gathering pace. Veron saw a powerfully struck shot turned away by Yildiray Basturk, and moments after that Johnsen met another Giggs corner with a header that was stopped on the Leverkusen line by Butt.

This was fast becoming a dreadful night for Johnsen, not least when Neuville made the most of his stumble with a wonderful 20-yard shot that flew home off the under-side of Barthez's crossbar. With only seconds of the first half remaining, it was exactly the setback United had hoped to avoid.

The second half was just as miserable, even if United must have felt they were starting to come to terms with their hosts.

Scholes went close, and when substitute Diego Forlan unleashed a half-volley he went agonisngly close to scoring one of the most staggering first goals in United's history. It was a terrific strike, but one that was again blocked on the line, on this occasion by Placente.

There was nothing United could do and a club that had already claimed the scalps of Arsenal and Liverpool in this competition had more English red on their hands.

For Arsenal, at least, there should be a Premiership title to ease their pain. For Ferguson, in a season that would have been his last until he decided to postpone his retirement, there is only next season to look forward to.

It will be of little consolation for the manager this morning, but the United fans will be relieved that he is still around to mastermind another European campaign.

That quest for greatness goes on.