[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Bayern Munich stormed back from a 3-0 deficit at Manchester United after 41 minutes to get the two away goals in a 3-2 defeat that put it through to the semifinals against French club Lyon.

Dutch winger Arjen Robben won the series with a marvelous volley off Franck Ribery's long corner 16 minutes from time that gave the German club the second goal it needed, but Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said the series was decided when, as he claimed, Bayern got young Brazilian defender Rafael sent off for picking up two yellow cards.

"He's [Rafael] a young boy and showed inexperience," said Ferguson, "but they got him sent off. They all rushed towards the referee. Typical Germans. You can't dispute that. There is no doubt about it. They were never getting through that tie. With 11 men we had no problem. The key issues were the goal before halftime and then the boy getting sent off, but it's still taken an exceptional goal to win the tie."

Wayne Rooney made a surprise start a week after sustaining an ankle injury and United quickly led on goals by Darron Gibson and Nani after only seven minutes.

When Nani added a third in the 41st minute, United looked to be on its way to the semifinals, but the game changed when  Croatian Ivica Olic, hero of the first leg with a late winner in Munich, beat goalie Edwin van der Saar from a tight angle two minutes later to make it 3-1 at the half.

Things got worse for United when Rafael was sent off five minutes after the restart for tugging on Ribery.

With Ribery in superb form, Bayern piled on the pressure and got the deserved second goal.

Rooney, who wasn't a factor in the game, was substituted in the second half.

In France, Bordeaux's 1-0 win over Lyon wasn't enough to overcome its 3-1 deficit from the first leg.