Champions League

February 22, 2012
  • FTFT
     
    FC Basel
    Bayern
    1
    0
    1
    0
    1
  • FTFT
     
    Marseille
    Inter
    1
    0
    1
    0
    2

Full-time

Marseille

1 - 0

Internazionale

Champions League

19:45 +00:00, February 22, 2012

Stade Vélodrome, France

Referee: Cüneyt Çakir

  •  

    You can follow me on Twitter: @dalejohnsonESPN. We'll be back tomorrow for live coverage of the Europa League.

  •  

    The crisis grows for Inter, but they will still be slight favourites to progress. They need to find some confidence back in Serie A over the next three weeks.

  •  

    It was a poor, poor game and it didn't look as though Marseille had the firepower to win this - but determination from Andre Ayew right at the death won the game in dramatic fashion.

  • 94'

    And that's full time!

  • 93'

    The corner came in from the left, and Andre Ayew lost Chivu to stoop and head past Julio Cesar into the bottom corner of the net.

  • 93'

    GOAL for Andre Ayew in the last minute!

  • 92'

    Great shot with outside of his left foot by Ayew, Julio Cesar claws it behind.

  • 91'

    Three minutes to be added on.

  • 90'

    The loose ball comes to Amalfitano, who crosses for Andre Ayew who nods to Julio Cesar tamely on the bounce.

  • 89'

    Brilliant from Fanni, up and down the channel chasing a lost cause.

  • 88'

    Fanni into the box from the right, Andre Ayew wins the header - no danger to Julio Cesar.

  • 87'

    If Inter do not score here, only Barcelona of the group winners will have won in the first leg.

  • 86'

    Marseille have definitely settled for the 0-0 now.

  • 85'

    GOAL! (for Basel against Bayern, not here)

  • 84'

    Charles Kabore is on for Benoit Cheyrou.

  • 83'

    Jordan Ayew tries to get a shot in, it's blocked.

  • 82'

    Nagatoma makes a great run from the back but gets a nose bleed when in the area, there's no shot and the ball runs for a goal-kick.

  • 81'

    Amalfitano gets a kick from Stankovic, but he'll be okay to go on.

  • 80'

    A change for Marsille as my favourite player is introduced. Rod Fanni is on for Azpilicueta.

  • 79'

    I'm filing that under "excitement".

  • 78'

    Great cross into the box from Amalfitano looking for Ayew to nod home - he just cannot guide the header on target.

  • 77'

    Foul by Cambiasso on Amalfitano, looked soft.

  • 76'

    Morel gives it away to Zanetti who crosses into the box. The defending is far from assured but Marseille clear their lines.

  • 75'

    The free-kick comes in and the ball drops for Stankovic, he can only stab at it and force it into the arms of Mandanda. That was a half chance.

  • 74'

    Now Diawara enters the book for a kick on Obi.

  • 74'

    The ineffectual Brandao is replaced by Jordan Ayew.

  • 73'

    Obi was poor when he looked to have the run on Azpilicueta, then tripped the Marseille defender when he's been turned. Lucky not to be booked.

  • 72'

    Nagatomo does well, Brandao frustrated by his play and pushes him down. Free-kick.

  • 71'

    Oh, I've just noticed Wesley Sneijder is playing.

  • 70'

    Official: Inter have run out of ideas.

  • 70'

    Official: Marseille have run out of ideas.

  • 69'

    Now Valbuena halts the run of Zanetti, free-kick.

  • 68'

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  • 67'

    Cheyrou with a weak and woeful chip into the box which Stankovic just nods away.

  • 66'

    Chivu with a trip on Amalfitano.

  • 65'

    Obi turns Amalfitano as he breaks into the box and goes down far too easily. No foul.

  • 64'

    Free-kick to Inter, it's played in towards the penalty spot, Cambiasso flicks it on to Forlan who is offside.

  • 63'

    The woeful Zarate is replaced by Joel Obi.

  • 62'

    Morel arrives late at the back stick with a volley, it goes well wide.

  • 61'

    The Marseille fans are still in fine voice despite the rubbish on show.

  • 60'

    Samuel and Chivu show strong defending to block the run of Valbuena.

  • 59'

    Now Zarate blocks off Ayew and goes into the book.

  • 58'

    Stankovic is the first into the book for climbing all over Valbuena.

  • 57'

    Azpilicueta volleys on target for Julio Cesar to save, the ref had seen an infringment anyway.

  • 56'

    Neither of these teams can possibly hope to win the Champions League.

  • 55'

    Still little guile and ingenuity in this match.

  • 54'

    Corner to Marseille, again Valbuena hits to an area of the box rather than using any real training ground plan and it comes to nothing.

  • 53'

    Inter had three on three there before Nagatomo wastes possession.

  • 52'

    Now a free-kick against Samuel on Brandao in the centre-circle. Marseille starting strongly in this 45.

  • 51'

    Corner to Marseille. It comes to Cheyrou who sees his power drive blocked. There's a bit of a scramble before Diawara slices a shot miles wide.

  • 50'

    Ayew pops it back into the box, Brandao's header drops into the gloves of Julio Cesar (first time I've mentioned the Inter goalie).

  • 49'

    Amalfitano's cross from the right goes over the head of Ayew.

  • 48'

    That is the first goal, substitution or card in either of tonight's Champions League games.

  • 47'

    There was a change ay the Inter-val (see what I did there) as Maicon is replaced by Yuto Nagatomo.

  • 46'

    Second half is underway.

  •  

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    A pretty poor first half, though Inter should be in front through that Forlan chance. Surely it has to improve.

  • 45'

    No injury time, and that means it's the half-time interval.

  • 44'

    Two shots on target in the game, both for Inter.

  • 43'

    Forlan is given the ball just outside the box, he holds it out and works it left to Cambiasso - but his shot deflects into the hands of Mandanda.

  • 42'

    It's Cheyrou who takes and it's a shambles yet again, hit low and without much anger into the bottom of the wall.

  • 41'

    Valbuena and Cheyrou both fancy this.

  • 40'

    Brandao goes down so, so easily under a challenge from Samuel on the edge of the box - but he gets the decision. Dangerous.

  • 39'

    Cambiasso is felled this time, easy decision for the ref.

  • 38'

    Ayew brings down Zanetti for a free-kick in the Inter half.

  • 37'

    Brandao thinks he's got a chance through on goal but the flag is up for offside.

  • 36'

    Cambiasso pulls a neat ball back from Zarate but he opts for precision rather than power - which finds the hands of Mandanda.

  • 35'

    You feel that despite Inter's fragile confidence, Marseille must go to Italy with a lead.

  • 34'

    Both sides are not using the ball well, but Inter seem more capable of spreading the play.

  • 33'

    Zarate tries to get in behind Azpilicueta, great defending from the Spaniard sees the ball out for the goal-kick.

  • 32'

    Maicon looks to break out with the ball but needs no invitation to go down under the challenge from Valbuena.

  • 31'

    Forlan is almost through but the flag is up (wrongly). Forlan continues his run and collides with Mandanda, who rolls around theatrically.

  • 30'

    Free-kick to Marseille. Valbuena delivers into the box and Brandao can only knock the ball on to team-mate Diawara a few yards out. That was half a chance. Sniff of offside about it too.

  • 29'

    The loose ball comes comes back to Zanetti whose shot is going well wide, Cambiasso runs onto it and forces a good save out of Mandanda - but the flag was up for offside.

  • 28'

    And Sneijder smashes it into the wall....

  • 27'

    Sneijder stands over it.

  • 26'

    Inter have not scored since February 1.

  • 25'

    Zarate on the run and tripped by Diarra just outside the box. Now this is a chance.

  • 24'

    Morel had time to work an opening for Marseille, but not for the first time he was wasteful.

  • 23'

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  • 22'

    Brandao is down, no free-kick but play is stopped and he doesn't look too comfortable - ankle knock. But he's going to go on. The kick was by Samuel.

  • 21'

    Free kick against Amalfitano, a trip on Stankovic.

  • 20'

    Inter enjoying extended possession at the moment but working it nowhere.

  • 19'

    It's been an entertaining game so far, but lacking true quality.

  • 18'

    Azpilicueta with a fine dipping volley, and it just lands on the roof of the net.

  • 17'

    Now up the other end and a corner to Marseille. Valbuena crosses but it just evades Brandao.

  • 16'

    Zarate just gets on Zanetti's cross, but cannot direct it on goal.

  • 15'

    Marseille are on a great run at the moment, but are still struggling for a place in this tournament next season. They are fifth in Ligue 1, six points behind Lille in the last UCL place.

  • 14'

    France international Alou Diarra, playing for Marseille tonight, was actually on the books of Liverpool but never spent a day at the club. An odd transfer that one.

  • 13'

    Now Forlan gifts a free-kick away with a strange kung-fu like attempted challenge on Cheyrou.

  • 12'

    Cambiasso plays a wonderful cross into the area from the left, Forlan is on to it and he HAS to score - but his finish lacks confidence and gives goalkeeper Steve Mandanda the chance to help it over the bar.

  • 11'

    WHAT A MISS FROM FORLAN!

  • 11'

    Marseille have started the better side, Inter look nervous.

  • 10'

    Forlan fouls Nicolas N'Koulou, cheap free-kick.

  • 9'

    No player on the pitch for Inter at the moment has scored a goal in any competition in the last month.

  • 8'

    This of course is Diego Forlan's European debut for Inter Milan. He was ineligible for the group phase having played for Atletico Madrid in the Europa League qualifiers.

  • 7'

    The Stade Velodrome is still under reconstruction. The length of the pitch is a building site with a huge video screen plonked in the middle.

  • 6'

    Ayew does well to flick on a long ball, Lucio is wise to it and hoofs away.

  • 5'

    Cheyrou takes the free-kick and bizarrely plays a side-footed effort directly into the wall.

  • 4'

    The corner breaks to the edge of the box and César Azpilicueta is tripped by Zarate. Chance here.

  • 3'

    Oooh! Cheyrou's effort from distance flicks off Lucio and goes just wide. Corner.

  • 2'

    The first act is a free-kick to Inter as Ayew shovers over Maicon.

  • 1'

    And we're off.

  •  

    If Inter do not win the Champions League it seems unlikely they will be back next term. Seventh in the table and no win in six, five defeats in those six, and three loses on the bounce mean Ranieri is under pressure.

  •  

    The troubled Claudio Ranieri goes with Mauro Zarate and Diego Forlan up front which means there is no place for Diego Milito. Wesley Sneijder starts.

  •  

    Didier Deschamps goes with Brandao in attack to replace Loic Remy. Andre Ayew is on the left with Morgan Amalfitano right.

  •  

    Join @dalejohnsonESPN for live commentary of troubled Inter Milan's trip to Marseille in the Champions League.

 

Marseille

Lineup

Substitutes

Internazionale

Lineup

Substitutes

Match Stats

Marseille

Internazionale

17(4) Shots (on Goal) 8(4)
18 Fouls 21
5 Corner Kicks 1
1 Offsides 4
59% Time of Possession 41%
1 Yellow Cards 3
0 Red Cards 0
4 Saves 3