Andre Ayew scored an injury-time header as Marseille claimed a 1-0 first leg win over Inter Milan in their last-16 Champions League clash.
Ayew header sinks Inter at Stade Velodrome
Andre Ayew scored an injury-time header as Marseille claimed a 1-0 first leg win over Inter Milan in their last-16 UEFA Champions League clash.
Diego Forlan had the best of the first-half chances when he connected with Wesley Sneijder's left-wing cross, but l'OM keeper Steve Mandanda made the save.
The match looked destined to finish goalless in a goalless draw following an uneventful second half with both teams eager to avoid attempting to make up for a first-leg deficit.
However, there was drama in injury time when Ayew connected with Mathieu Valbuena's corner at the near post to head the ball past the helpless Julio Cesar.
Benoit Cheyrou saw an early effort deflected narrowly wide for a corner before sending a free-kick from a good position straight into the wall after Mauro Zarate conceded a soft foul on the edge of the area.
The Italians began to find some attacking purpose, though, and Mandanda made an excellent save to push Diego Forlan's close-range volley over the bar and the goalkeeper was on his toes again to beat Zarate to the ball at the near post from Javier Zanetti's low cross, timing his intervention to perfection.
Wesley Sneijder's free-kick struck the wall but Inter quickly gathered the loose ball and Zanetti's pass struck Esteban Cambiasso, spinning inches wide, although the assistant had wrongly signalled offside.
Marseille could and perhaps should have scored moments later when Mathieu Valbuena sent a curling free-kick into the area only for Brandao and Souleymane Diawara to get in each other's way and send it wide with the goal gaping.
No power
Inter countered with their best move of the match as Schneider sent a defence-splitting pass through to Cambiasso. He pulled it back for Zarate, but the striker could get no power on his shot from a good position.
Marseille came out of the dressing rooms for the second half looking like the better side, but Diawara's long volley went wide while Julio Cesar made a comfortable enough save from Cesar Azpilicueta drilled effort from the edge of the area.
A handball from Diawara gave Inter a set-piece to work with, but Dejan Stankovic fired wide from Sneijder's lay-off.
They tried a similar move moments later, but this time Stankovic's shot found Mandanda.
Jordan Ayew had a shot charged down by Cambiasso before his brother Andre set off on a one-man mission to win it for Marseille late on.
He headed Rod Fanni's cross over the bar but got better contact on another from Morgan Amalfitano, only to send the ball into the arms of Julio Cesar when placing it either side would have made for a certain goal.
It was the elder Ayew again in injury time, cutting in from the left wing and then trying a curling shot off the outside of his boot which Julio Cesar could only palm aside for a corner.
Valbuena swung it in, and Ayew was on hand to nod it into the far corner with Cristian Chivu pawing helplessly at his shirt.
| Marseille |
Team Statistics |
Internazionale |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 8 |
Shots off Target |
3 |
| 5 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 5 |
Corners |
1 |
| 18 |
Fouls |
21 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
4 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
3 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 78.3 |
Passing Success |
69.2 |
| 17 |
Tackles |
27 |
| 64.7 |
Tackles Success |
59.3 |
| 59.4 |
Possession |
40.6 |
| 60.4 |
Territorial Advantage |
39.6 |
| 474 |
Total Passes |
334 |
| 44 |
Total Crosses |
11 |
| 199 |
Lost Balls |
188 |
| 60 |
Recoveries |
58 |
| 35.3 |
1st Half Poss. |
64.7 |
| 44.3 |
2nd Half Poss. |
55.7 |
|
