Manchester United and Marseille played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League tie at Stade Velodrome, but it certainly was not a 0-0 draw of the vanilla and boring variety. Unlike many of the other Champions League round of 16 ties that have been defined by individual performances thus far, Didier Deschamps and Alex Ferguson were the stars of today’s show, playing a great tactical chess match and getting to Old Trafford with a result that is hardly ideal for both sides, but that both sides can live with.
Marseille Vs. Manchester United: 0-0 Full Time, A Good Match Sets Up A Great Second Leg
Marseille will be the slightly happier of the two sides, as they were the considerably better team in the second half. Manchester United struggled to pass the ball in until Paul Scholes was introduced around the 70 minute mark, while Marseille looked dangerous going forward. Andre Ayew and L’OM’s defensive midfielders put in great shifts, though Lucho Gonzalez struggled to impact the game and his team struggled to create any true clear cut chances. Nani was very influential for Manchester United in the first half, but Gabriel Heinze had a much better second half than first half, and Nani struggled to do anything truly dangerous in the second 45 minutes.
Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, and Andre-Pierre Gignac should all be fit for the return leg of this tie in Manchester, setting up a possibly fantastic match. Tonight’s match didn’t have much in the way of flash and pizazz, but both teams can go back to their hotels thinking “mission accomplished.”
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