ONE SIMPLE, DEFT flick of the outside of his boot is all it took for Harry Kane to remind Manchester United of the poise and class they no longer possess.
Kingsley Coman was the beneficiary, receiving the tidy pass from the new Bayern Munich talisman amid a scramble on the edge of the box.
The France international smashed home from close range to end United’s slim Champions League hopes in the 70th minute of a contest they did just enough in to dangle on the ropes.
Then Kane provided the knockout piece of play.
How different it might have been had Kane, United boss Erik ten Hag’s No.1 target for a forward last summer, ended up at Old Trafford instead of Bavaria.
The United hierarchy didn’t deem it a worthwhile exercise to try and pry the 30-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur skipper away from north London.
They opted instead to play the long game with Rasmus Hojlund.
He is a decade younger but a night like this for both men just illustrates how much work the callow Dane still has to do.
The Bayern defence bullied the young United forward and let him run down blind alleys.
Kane was the one with the vision to open the game up.
Koman started the move by taking possession about 30 yards out. He let it off for Leon Goretzka, continued his run into the box and when the German’s scrambled pass into substitute Thomas Muller was read by Jonny Evans (a first-replacement for the injured Harry Maguire) it was Kane’s whose instincts proved most decisive.
In a split second the striker hunched forward, put the weight on his right foot and created the angle to be able to almost stamp a reverse flick between Diogo Dalot and Raphael Varane for Coman to run onto.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka – introduced at half time for the injured Luke Shaw – was three yards too deep inside the penalty box playing the Bayern man onside.
It was the only goal of the game and a move that highlight just part of the gulf between these two giants of the European game.
Bayern are the ones currently living up to that reputation. United, on the other hand, given Copenhagen beat Galatasaray, don’t even have the consolation of Europa League football to fall back on.
They have finished bottom of Group A and their midweeks will now be free for the rest of the season.
For some of their beleaguered fans that may well be a relief.
It also now means the prospect of United facing Liverpool in the Europa League final Aviva Stadium next summer is also now a non-runner.
Although given the current state of things at Old Trafford no one would seriously consider them capable of going that far in Europe’s secondary competition.
All United had to do was stay in the game and not allow Bayern break their meagre resolve early.
Somehow, it was scoreless until half-time.
Crucially, it was the same in Copenhagen as they went in for the break 0-0 with Galatasaray.
United’s slim hopes of progression from the group were alive.
It’s been a haphazard campaign in which, going into this sixth and final fixture, they had somehow scored more goals (12) than Bayern (11) yet were bottom while the German champions cruised to top spot and had already qualified prior to the last matchday.
But United’s complete lack of confidence and cohesion was shown up by Bournemouth at the weekend, that 3-0 triumph at Old Trafford making a mockery of any serious suggestion that an impressive win over Chelsea a few days earlier could be the catalyst for a sustained period of promise.
United are in a boom and bust cycle, yet the booms are by no means resounding.
Had Leroy Sane taken two glorious first-half opportunities then United would have most certainly been a busted flush again.
The chances were three minutes apart and illustrated how easily ten Hag’s team’s defence can be penetrated by pace and power.
First, Sane and Jamal Musiala linked up with a sharp one two. The former Manchester City then went on one of those effortless, gliding runs to leave Sofyan Amrabat in his wake. He strode into the centre of the box as Maguire hesitated but instead of shooting from 12 yards out he opted to reverse a pass for Musiala who had continued in support.
But there wasn’t enough on it and the covering Dalot was able to block the shot.
United were blessed and they must have felt there would be divine intervention when Bayern countered a poor United corner on the half hour mark. Coman’s cross was perfect, whizzing over the head of Dalot with Sane waiting at the back post.
He could have headed it or just as easily opened his body and side-footed home with his favoured left foot. He chose the latter but made a dreadful connection to fluff his lines.
Bruno Fernandes blazed a tremendous opportunity over the bar from the edge of the area five minutes after the re-start but any hope of a famous night soon dissipated.
Events in Copenhagen hastened that as they took a 1-0 lead which they would not relinquish.
Then Kane delivered one final act on another night of misery for United.