United grind out draw in Marseille

Posted Thursday, February 24, 2011 by UK.eurosport.yahoo.com

Manchester United and Marseille played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash, with defenders the stars in France.

Chances were few and far between as the two sides cancelled each other out, with neither goalkeeper forced into serious action and a high-quality array of forwards stifled by excellent performances from Chris Smalling for United and Souleymane Diawara of Marseille.

A low-scoring draw was the likeliest result between teams renowned for their steel at the back in Europe this season - United only conceded once in the group stages while L’OM shut out the opposition in their last four group matches.

It played out as expected as a tense and uneventful game saw neither side take many risks in a cagey, defensive affair at a pumping Stade Velodrome.

Frustration was the key word for United, for whom Nani repeatedly overcooked his dribbling when early balls would have sufficed, while Wayne Rooney sat far too deep and a midfield trio of Darren Fletcher, Darron Gibson and Michael Carrick was short of inspiration.

Their best efforts were a long-range drive from Fletcher that Steve Mandanda kept out comfortably, and a couple of occasions when Nani - whose pace repeatedly tested former United defender Gabriel Heinze but whose delivery was awful - took one too many touches and slipped to the turf when clear on the right.

Marseille were little better, looking vaguely threatening from wide positions but largely only shooting from range: Edwin van der Sar’s sole act of the first half was to claim an in-swinging Andre Ayew corner as it threatened to sneak inside the near post.

If the first half was tepid, the second was a dirge as neither side showed any invention or even interest in threatening the opposition goal.

But on the hour mark, as if by clockwork, Marseille clicked into action, suddenly playing higher up the pitch, pegging United back and creating a bevy of chances.

Loic Remy beat three men before smacking a shot that was goal-bound but for Nemanja Vidic’s intervention, Ayew snatched a low drive across goal and wide after a fortunate ricochet played him through, and Brandao was blocked from finishing after a superb intervention by the highly-accomplished Smalling.

That flurry was a 10-minute interlude though, and the match slipped back into ennui immediately afterwards.

To be fair to both sides the defending was superb - even forwards Rooney and Ayew both made great tackles at various points - while the last five minutes or so saw United inspired by substitute Paul Scholes to at least make a nominal attempt to breach the Marseille defence.

The closest they came though was when Nani’s pass almost released Rooney, the England forward apparently brought down by last-man Stephane M'Bia after his first touch was heavy: the German referee waved play on with both Rooney and Sir Alex Ferguson left to fume through the latter stages.

It was the only real moment of contention in a match that put neither side in the driving seat ahead of the second leg at Old Trafford in two weeks: United did not lose but the absence of an away goal means a score draw would send Marseille through.