Pro Eleven Headline News
Marseille beat Ajax on aggregate in UEFA Cup
An Englishman came to the rescue of French giants Marseille's UEFA Cup campaign on Wednesday as the journeyman defender Tyrone Mears scored a goal in extra-time to see them to a 2-2 draw on the night but a 4-3 aggregate success over Dutch side Ajax and a place in the quarter-finals.
Mears, the only Englishman playing in the top flight of French football, headed in in the second-half of extra-time to raise French morale after St Etienne had also forced a 2-2 draw at home to Werder Bremen but they went out 3-2 on aggregate.
Marseille coach Eric Gerets, who has revived the fortunes of the club since taking over, conceded that Ajax had been the better side.
"I would like to congratulate Marco van Basten (Ajax coach) on his tactics," said the no-nonsense former Belgium captain.
"It is the first time for a long time that my midfield had so much difficulty.
"We were running like imbeciles after the ball.
"It is painful for a coach to see his players suffering like that."
However, Gerets, who captained Belgium to the 1986 World Cup semi-finals, was still proud of his players.
"I saw my guys run themselves into the ground this evening.
"That is what satisfied me: we fought to the end. That is more than a positive thing, it is marvellous. I am proud of them."
The match had got off to a tense start as the stadium announcer had to order a Dutch fan to stop shining a laser in the eyes of Marseille's former Dutch international Boudewijn Zenden which forced the referee to stop the match for around a minute.
Marseille surrendered their overall advantage in the tie when Ajax took the lead on the night and on away goals when Eyong Enoh scored in the 32nd minute after the French side's defence opened up beautifully for him and he made them pay as he tucked the ball away.
However the former European Cup winners were back on level terms and ahead overall just two minutes later as Baky Kone created a chance for Senegalese international Mamadou Niang, who slipped the ball between the legs of young 'keeper Kenneth Vermeer to make it 1-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate to Marseille.
The French side lost concentration early in the second-half which nearly cost them in the 53rd minute only for France 'keeper Steve Mandanda to pull off a miraculous save from Luis Suarez.
However, it was a brilliant piece of individual skill from Suarez that created the second goal as he turned on a sixpence in the box completely outwitting the defender and his cross was headed home by Miralem Sulejmani to force extra-time.
Mears was the unlikely hero as he restored Marseille's overall hold on the match when he made it 2-2 on the night in time added on of the first period of extra time heading past Vermeer.
St Etienne virtually saw their chances of progressing disappear in the first-half as Werder Bremen took a 2-0 lead through Sebastian Prodl and veteran Claudio Pizarro.
Prodl effectively made it mission impossible for the relegation-threatened former European Cup finalists when he headed home in the fifth minute from German international Torsten Frings's corner.
St Etienne goalkeeper Jeremie Janot was helpless to stop Pizarro scoring his fifth goal in European club football this season as the Peruvian headed home from Mesut Ozil's cross in the 27th minute.
St Etienne, though, did give themselves an outside chance of pulling off a miracle when Yohan Benalouane scored in the 64th minute after Frings had conceded a freekick and he headed home past Tim Wiese.
The hosts at least saved face when they made it 2-2 on the night just before the final whistle as Sebastien Grax scored with a shot from the right hand side of the box.
Among Thursday's matches holders Zenit St Petersburg could go out as they trail the only Italian side left in European competition Udinese 2-0, while former Cup Winners Cup winners Paris Saint Germain are away at Sporting Braga after a goalless draw in Paris. AFP
UEFA CUP: City, Hamburg set for quarters, but Zenit struggling
After solid opening-leg showings, Manchester City and Hamburg are set to reach the UEFA Cup quarter-finals today, while holders Zenit St Petersburg have work to do if they are to survive.
With the likes of Andrey Arshavin in the side, Zenit romped to the title last season, but a 2-0 loss to Italy’s Udinese has the Russians on the verge of elimination. A year ago Dick Advocaat’s side did pull matters out of the fire when they lost 3-1 in Marseille, but turned things around in the return to win on away goals. This time they are without that away strike.
With English sides having buried Italy’s Champions League hopes to leave Serie A unrepresented in that competition in the quarter-finals for the first time in seven years, Udinese are Italy’s last survivors in Europe — and scalping the holders would at least somewhat compensate for their compatriots’ shortcomings.
Like Udinese, Manchester City have a 2-0 advantage from the first leg achieved against Danish side Aalborg and midfielder Stephen Ireland says City will be expecting to advance.
“We’ve done well away from home in the UEFA Cup, so I think we’re strong and peaking at the right time of the season,” Ireland told ITV television. “We’re feeling confident going there.”
City have made little impression in Europe aside from a Cup Winners Cup success in 1970, but with Arab megabucks behind them these days expectations have risen accordingly among fans who have little with which to be satisfied in the league, where the club sits in mid-table. Aalborg’s Thomas Enevoldsen will miss the second leg after his booking for a heavy tackle on Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Hamburg, under former Spurs boss Martin Jol, have spent all season firmly involved in the Bundesliga title race. But further advancement in Europe this season depends on pilfering a win in Galatasaray’s Ali Sami Yen Stadium after the match in Germany ended 1-1.
Hamburg will likely be without German international midfielder Piotr Trochowski, who injured knee ligaments in a weekend win over Energie Cottbus.
“His participation in Istanbul is touch and go,” Hamburg doctor Oliver Dierk said.
But Trochowski has made the trip, as has Michael Gravgaard, who has a sore groin.
“It will be a tough match out there — but it is within our power to go through,” Jol told the club’s Web site.
Galatasaray, who won the won the tournament in 2000 for Turkey’s first European trophy, will be missing midfielder Arda Turan, who has a knee injury. He joins Emre Gungor, Servet Cetin, Mehmet Topal and Tobias Linderoth on the sidelines.
In other action, Ukrainian pride is at stake as Dynamo Kiev seek to hang on to their 1-0 lead over Metalist Kharkhiv, while compatriots Shakhtar Donetsk need to get back on terms after losing by the same margin at Russian outfit CSKA Moscow, who lead thanks to Brazilian Wagner Love’s penalty.
Paris Saint-Germain are fighting to stay alive and are away to Portugal’s Sporting Braga following their goalless draw in Paris. Taipei Times
Dutch fail to lure Van Der Sar to play again
Holland boss Bert van Marwijk has revealed he tried to lure Edwin van der Sar out of international retirement for a second time.
Van Marwijk is facing a goalkeeping dilemma ahead of his side's World Cup qualifier with Scotland on Saturday week.
Maarten Stekelenburg has been dropped by Ajax, while understudy Henk Timmer has been told he can leave Feyenoord after a dismal season.
Van der Sar, who has been one of the stars of Manchester United's season, retired from international football after Euro 2008.
The 38-year-old accepted an emergency call-up for last year's World Cup qualifiers against Iceland and Norway but turned down this latest offer.
"Against my better judgment I called Edwin because of our present difficulties," Van Marwijk told The Herald.
"We had agreed the book was closed before we had these injuries and while I knew what the answer would be, I still called him.
"All our other keepers have a story to tell, sickness, injury or poor form but I will stick by Stekelenburg.
"He has the most potential of all of them and is the best available.
"He is not playing for Ajax, and that is a disadvantage, but this gives him a chance to prove that he can come back stronger." ESPN
