#3 Rotor Volgograd – 1995/96 UEFA Cup First Round
The most surprising team on this list – Rotor Volgograd are currently languishing in the third tier of Russian football, having regained professional status at the start of the current season. But back in the mid-nineties, they were a force to be reckoned with in Russia and qualified for European competitions multiple times.
Still, nobody expected Manchester United to have much trouble against the Russian side in the first round of the then UEFA Cup in 1995-96. The home tie saw United hold Rotor to a goalless draw in the cold Russian terrain and they were expected to finish the job at Old Trafford.
However, goals from Kazakh international Vladimir Niederhaus and all time Russian Premier League top scorer Oleg Veretennikov saw Rotor take a 2-0 lead under half an hour. Now desperate, Sir Alex Ferguson brought on Paul Scholes and the midfielder reduced the deficit with 30 minutes left to play.
As the game died down, United keeper Peter Schmeichel would rush upfield and score the equaliser from a corner to make it 2-2 on aggregate with a minute left to play.
Rotor were still ahead on away goals and United were eliminated after a goalless injury time. Rotor would be eliminated in the next round by Bordeaux and the Volgograd side would be beset by financial troubles at the start of the new millennium, even getting reduced to amateur status during that time.
