Rueters
Wednesday, December 6, 2000; 5:00 PM

GRAZ, Austria, Dec 6 – Paul Scholes and late substitute Ryan Giggs sent Manchester United two points clear at the top of Champions League Group A on Wednesday with a convincing 2-0 win over Austria's Sturm Graz.

The win ended United's recent shaky away form in the competition and left them with a maximum six points, two clear of second placed Valencia in the second phase group.

It was Sturm's first home defeat in the Champions League since United beat them 3-0 in the first group stage of last season's competition.

"We're getting better," said United manager Alex Ferguson.

The richest club in the world completely outplayed the runners-up in the Austrian league, surprise qualifiers from the first phase, in the first half.

Dwight Yorke produced the first real chance of a match played in drizzle at Graz's Arnold Schwarzenegger stadium, but sent the ball over the bar on 15 minutes.

Two minutes later, the breakthrough came with Scholes providing the finish to an inspired touch by veteran England team mate Teddy Sheringham.

Sheringham added a subtle back flick to a well-centred Yorke cross and the deflection split the Sturm defence. Scholes charged in to beat diving goalkeeper Kazimierz Sidorczuk and clip the ball in from an acute angle.

United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez saved an Ivica Vastic free kick from some 27 metres out in the 35th minute, Sturm's only real opportunity before the break.

But the second half saw the Austrians looking far more determined as United counter-attacked.

Sturm goalkeeper Kazimierz Sidorczuk produced brilliant dives to save thundering shots from Scholes in the 54th minute and Sheringham in the 68th.

Captain Vastic, still recovering from injury, claimed a penalty in the 66th after going down in the area under pressure from Wes Brown and Gary Neville only five minutes before Sturm's biggest chance of the game.

It came in the 72nd minute when a thundering shot from some 20 metres by Tomislav Kocijan hit the crossbar with French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez well beaten.

"We weathered it. When the boy hit the bar it was a bit hot there but we mainly controlled it quite well," said Ferguson.

Sheringham had the ball in the net in the 73rd minute but Roy Keane had already been flagged offside.

Keane almost scored an own goal in the 82nd minute with a header after a shot from Vastic, but Barthez was quick to save.

Giggs, sidelined with a hamstring injury for the last five United games, came on as an 80th minute substitute and scored nine minutes later by slotting home from an acute angle.

"They gave us a demonstration of their strengths as a united team," said Sturm coach Ivica Osim. "We had far too much respect in the first half and United got a goal out of nothing."