Manchester United went through to the last eight of Europe’s Champions League thanks to a goal in each half from Mexican striker Javier Hernandez in a nervy 2–1 victory over Olympic Marseille at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
The home team certainly did not have things all their own way with the visitors spurning several good chances. A late own goal by the unfortunate Wes Brown gave the French side hope, but they were unable to conjure a second which would have sent them through on the away goals rule.
United began purposefully and received their just reward with only five minutes gone. Wayne Rooney began the attack, found Ryan Giggs who returned the favor, and the England international’s pinpoint cross left Hernandez with nothing to do but tap the ball into an open goal.
Didier Deschamp’s side struggled to keep up with the pace of the game, which seemed to be given extra momentum by the partisan Old Trafford crowd. Nevertheless, they did create a golden opportunity of their own only three minutes later. Andre-Pierre Gignac failed to properly bring the ball under control, with only Edwin van der Sar to beat, and clumsily hooked the ball high into the stands.
John O’Shea strained a hamstring and gave way to Rafael Da Silva on 34 minutes and the resulting lack of height in the makeshift United defense was immediately exposed. A short corner and cross two minutes later found Souleymane Diawara unmarked at the near post, but his mistimed header sailed wide.
Marseille came more into their own as half time approached. Benoit Cheyrou stung van der Sar’s hands with a fierce shot, and the French side continued to look dangerous at set pieces. Sir Alex Ferguson had decided not to risk Nemanja Vidic’s injured calf and the gritty Serb defender was left out of the squad.
Taking over from Nani, who had looked not quite his normal self coming back from that gashed shin received against Liverpool, Valencia immediately looked dangerous down the right flank.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s defensive headaches were compounded when substitute Rafael tweaked a hamstring and himself had to be replaced by twin brother Fabio. Buoyed by the increasingly fragile appearance of United’s back four, and knowing that an equalizing goal would take them through, Marseille went on the attack.
On 74 minutes Cheyrou brought the best out of van der Sar with the Dutchman saving at full stretch. Then, as so often happens, United swept down the other end courtesy of Valencia and Giggs, and Hernandez was again in exactly the right place to tuck the ball home from close range.
To their credit the French champions did not give up and finally pulled one back. In the 81st minute a header from the hard-working Cheyrou went over off Fabio and from the resulting corner an awkward header from Wes Brown, under pressure from Gabriel Heinze, flew into his own net. Paul Scholes hooked it clear but the ball was already a yard over the line.
The remainder of the game was a nervous time for United and their legion of fans, knowing that another goal for the visitors would put them through, but the likes of Giggs and Rooney managed to keep possession of the ball for significant periods in the opposing half of the field and relieve the pressure on their defenders. Over the two legs United just about deserved their triumph, but it was certainly no cakewalk.
Bayern was in imperious form in the first half, taking a 2–1 lead. The lead could’ve been much bigger had the Germans got a bit more luck to go with their fantastic attacking play. Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller, and Franck Ribery were all brilliant and Inter keeper Julio Cesar had a moment to forget when he fumbled Robben’s shot and saw Mario Gomez convert the rebound while having his back to goal.
But Inter showed the heart of a champion led by striker Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroon international set up the equalizing goal from Dutchman Wesley Sneijder in the 63rd minute and the winning goal from Goran Pandev in the 88th minute.
In the rematch of last year’s Champions League final, Inter overcame a first leg 1–0 home defeat to advance to the quarterfinals.
The home team certainly did not have things all their own way with the visitors spurning several good chances. A late own goal by the unfortunate Wes Brown gave the French side hope, but they were unable to conjure a second which would have sent them through on the away goals rule.
United began purposefully and received their just reward with only five minutes gone. Wayne Rooney began the attack, found Ryan Giggs who returned the favor, and the England international’s pinpoint cross left Hernandez with nothing to do but tap the ball into an open goal.
Didier Deschamp’s side struggled to keep up with the pace of the game, which seemed to be given extra momentum by the partisan Old Trafford crowd. Nevertheless, they did create a golden opportunity of their own only three minutes later. Andre-Pierre Gignac failed to properly bring the ball under control, with only Edwin van der Sar to beat, and clumsily hooked the ball high into the stands.
John O’Shea strained a hamstring and gave way to Rafael Da Silva on 34 minutes and the resulting lack of height in the makeshift United defense was immediately exposed. A short corner and cross two minutes later found Souleymane Diawara unmarked at the near post, but his mistimed header sailed wide.
Marseille came more into their own as half time approached. Benoit Cheyrou stung van der Sar’s hands with a fierce shot, and the French side continued to look dangerous at set pieces. Sir Alex Ferguson had decided not to risk Nemanja Vidic’s injured calf and the gritty Serb defender was left out of the squad.
Second Half
The visitors started the second half with similar intent and pressed hard in the early going before United re-asserted themselves. On 62 minutes, United’s fans greeted the arrival of Antonio Valencia for his first European appearance since fracturing an ankle in the initial group stage match against Rangers back in September.Taking over from Nani, who had looked not quite his normal self coming back from that gashed shin received against Liverpool, Valencia immediately looked dangerous down the right flank.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s defensive headaches were compounded when substitute Rafael tweaked a hamstring and himself had to be replaced by twin brother Fabio. Buoyed by the increasingly fragile appearance of United’s back four, and knowing that an equalizing goal would take them through, Marseille went on the attack.
On 74 minutes Cheyrou brought the best out of van der Sar with the Dutchman saving at full stretch. Then, as so often happens, United swept down the other end courtesy of Valencia and Giggs, and Hernandez was again in exactly the right place to tuck the ball home from close range.
To their credit the French champions did not give up and finally pulled one back. In the 81st minute a header from the hard-working Cheyrou went over off Fabio and from the resulting corner an awkward header from Wes Brown, under pressure from Gabriel Heinze, flew into his own net. Paul Scholes hooked it clear but the ball was already a yard over the line.
The remainder of the game was a nervous time for United and their legion of fans, knowing that another goal for the visitors would put them through, but the likes of Giggs and Rooney managed to keep possession of the ball for significant periods in the opposing half of the field and relieve the pressure on their defenders. Over the two legs United just about deserved their triumph, but it was certainly no cakewalk.
Stunner in Munich
In Tuesday’s other Champions League Round of 16 second leg, Inter Milan came back from the dead to knock Bayern Munich out with a 3–2 victory. The two-legged tie ended up 3–3 in aggregate score, but Inter advanced with three away goals.Bayern was in imperious form in the first half, taking a 2–1 lead. The lead could’ve been much bigger had the Germans got a bit more luck to go with their fantastic attacking play. Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller, and Franck Ribery were all brilliant and Inter keeper Julio Cesar had a moment to forget when he fumbled Robben’s shot and saw Mario Gomez convert the rebound while having his back to goal.
But Inter showed the heart of a champion led by striker Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroon international set up the equalizing goal from Dutchman Wesley Sneijder in the 63rd minute and the winning goal from Goran Pandev in the 88th minute.
In the rematch of last year’s Champions League final, Inter overcame a first leg 1–0 home defeat to advance to the quarterfinals.
