Game : Marseille (Fra) vs Ajax Amsterdam (Ned)
Competition : UEFA Cup Round of 16 first leg
Venue : Stade Velodrome, France
Final score : Marseille 2-1 Ajax
Goal scorers :- Benoit Cheyrou 19′, Mamadou Niang 33’/ Luis Suarez 36′ pen
10 man Ajax fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Marseille at the Stade Velodrome, but will still fancy their chances in the away leg at the Amsterdam Arena next week thanks to Luis Suarez’s goal.
French midfielder Benoit Cheyrou opened the scoring in the 19th minute, collecting a pass from Hatem Ben Arfa before striking it right footed. Kenneth Vermeer should have stopped the shot nine times out of 10, but he was unable to, and Marseille took a 1-0 lead.
Marseille doubled their lead in the 33rd minute. Toby Alderweireld headed a long ball into the path of Mathieu Valbuena who took the ball down the right before crossing into the box. Mamadou Niang got the deftest of touches, and although Vermeer managed to get a hand on the ball, he could not stop it from going in.
Ajax pulled one back from the penalty spot after Eyong Enoh was fouled by Marseille’s Hilton.
Gregory van der Wiel was sent off for a second bookable offence ( on Mathieu Valbuena) in the 42nd minute, reducing Marco Van Basten’s team to ten men.
Marseille tried hard for another goal, with Vermeer having to save from Modeste Mbami, Cheyrou and Bolo Zenden, but were unable to add to their two goals.
Gregory van der Wiel is suspended for the second leg in Amsterdam, and so is Thomas Vermaelen.
Marseille starting lineup:-Steve Mandanda, Laurent Bonnart, Renato Civelli,Vitorino Hilton, Lorik Cana ( Modeste M’Bami 46′),Taye Taiwo, Benoit Cheyrou, Bakari Kone, Mathieu Valbuena, Mamadou Niang ( Mamadou Samassa 75′), Hatem Ben Arfa ( Bolo Zenden 67′)
Ajax starting lineup:-Kenneth Vermeer, Gregory van der Wiel, Oleguer, Thomas Vermaelen, Toby Alderweireld,Miralem Sulejmani, Eyong Enoh, Rasmus Lindgren (Robbert Schilder 22′),Ismaïl Aissati, Urby Emanuelson ( Bruno Silva 43′), Luis Suarez ( Leonardo 83′)
Referee:- Ivan Babek