Marseille vs Newcastle United, 2003/04 UEFA Cup, Semi-finals

· 2nd Leg - Marseille win 2-0 on aggregate

Marseille

18': Didier Drogba
82': Didier Drogba

FT
2 - 0
2nd Leg - Marseille win 2-0 on aggregate

Newcastle United

About

Marseille are hosting Newcastle United at Velodrome, , France, starting on . The match is a part of the UEFA Cup.

Match Commentary

0': The Magpies have not been in a European final during Alan Shearer's lifetime. Can the former England skipper lead them to Gothenburg? Follow the second-leg live commentary from 19.45 BST. First leg: 0-0
0': Newcastle boss Bobby Robson has selected the same 11 who faced Manchester City on Saturday, but has surely left them in little doubt that their tame second-half surrender there could not be repeated at the Stade Velodrome. There are changes on the bench, however, with Lee Bowyer included for a European game for the first time since December 2002, and central defender Steve Caldwell also among the substitutes following his return from a loan spell at Leeds. Jose Anigo made six changes
0': Newcastle start the match and concede possession in the form of a throw in deep in Marseille's half
1': First strike goes to the home side as a chested lay-off from Marlet sets up Beye on the edge of the box. His effort is stopped by team mate Drogba but he is in an offside position
2': Lung bursting run down the right from Hughes earns his side the first corner of the match
3': Intimidating atmosphere in the Stade Velodrome as the home fans are in good voice already
4': Marseille hustling and pressing the Newcastle midfield and back line forcing Ambrose to go back to Given from the half way line to the jeers of the Marseille fans
5': O'brien forced into clearing up into the stands after a hugh punt into the corner has Marlet pressurising
6': Some neat approach play from the home side is let down by Ferreira
7': Shearer and Beye tussle and the Newcastle man is penalised for having a handful of his opponent's shirt. Interesting battle that one and they will surely see plenty of each other tonight
8': Robert, even by his outrageous standards, lines up a shot from 35 yards out and away to the right wing. Easy for Barthez. Could have been a cross but if it was it was even worse than it looked
10': Ambrose is caught in possession in the centre circle causing problems for his defenders. Break is on but Drogba goes to early and is offside as he latches onto a quick diagonal pass
11': First yellow card of the night as O'Brien bodychecks Meriem. O'Brien will now miss the final (or next year's first round)
12': Free kick from deep on the left is aimed for the back post where a number of white shirts are lurking with intent. Bernard does well to get in front and head clear
13': Dangerous free kick right on the right corner of the Newcastle box. Elaborate step overs by Dos Santos and Meriem before Drogba puts a weak effort through the middle of Newcastle's 'wall'. Given collects easily
14': Bright opening to the game but neither team has troubled the oposition's keeper as yet
15': Quality piece of defending from Bramble. Ball played up to Marlet with only Bramble to beat. The big defender just stands up strong and wrestles the striker off the ball. Calm, considered and intelligent
16': Free kick for Newcastle, 35 yards out, Robert behind it? A shot, surely? No, everyone - myself included - was fooled as Robert plays in Bernard free on the left to put a decent cross in that is well defended
17': From Marseille box to the other end in a flash and a goal for the home side. 1-0 Marseille!
18': Lightening break up field plays in Drogba with only Hughes for company. An audacious back heeled turn in mid flight from the striker skins his marker and then a reverse slide rule shot beats Given at his near post. Wonderful skill from Drogba - a class act. Advantage Marseille
20': A hold up in play as a fire is dealt with under one of the stands. looks very, very dangerous for a moment but the authorities are on to it quickly and put out what was quite some blaze
22': Another chance for Marseille as Marlet skips pasr Bramble and then Given but the keeper forces him wide enough so that his cut back is easily defended by Hughes
23': Rare Newcastle attack sees Ameobi break down the left but his attempted low cross is never likely to reach Shearer in the middle
24': Smoke still drifting over the pitch from the stand behind Barthez's goal
25': Typically tenacious Shearer move gives him a shooting opportunity just inside the box but a committed dive from Beye - Shearer's shadow for the evening - shuts down the space as he pulls the trigger
26': Marlet again finds space between the Newcastle defence and midfield but allows the ball run through to a quickly advancing Given. Alert goalkeeping
27': Shearer pulled up for leaning into his opponent when there really looked to be nothing in it.
29': Newcastle struggling to get a grip on the game. Understandably with the players they are missing there is no cutting edge or creativity. Only look like scoring from a set piece. Marseille on the other hand are full of running and industry. Very direct and the most likely to score at the moment
30': Robert behind another free kick from 35 yards. Reverts to type this time and cracks it. Very powerful and straight but just rising as it flys a foot over Barthez's crossbar
31': Fantastic level of noise generated by the home fans who haven't let up since before the kick off
32': Marseile waste no time in taking a quick free inside their own half but then waste possession with a poor pass that finds touch
33': Throw in eventually finds its way through to Ameobi in the box. Impresses with some clever footwork before letting himself down with a terrible dive
34': Raking diagonal ball reguires Robert to stretch to full hight and deflect the path of the ball that otherwise would have sent N'Diaye clear down the right. Very important intervention
35': Pop shot from Meriem, fully 30 yards out, doesn't trouble Given for a second
36': Marseille seem to have an extra man in every part of the field as they get forward and back at pace and to a man are pressing Newcastle when they are in possession
37': Neat triangles on the left touchline allows Meite to cross towards Marlet. He can't reach it despite pushing Bernard over in trying
38': Newcastle on the back foot as the half draws to a close
39': Deep corner eludes everyone except Marlet but all he is able to do is hook the ball back and get another corner off Bernard's shins
40': Another corner is cleared but the move is kept alive before Shearer is called into defensive duty, heading clear from his own six yard box
41': Dangerous time for Newcastle as Marseille attack relentlessly. Half-time can't come soon enough for the Magpies
42': Droga makes himself available in the area between defence and midfield. Good close control and a nice turn sets up the shooting chance but Given is equal to the low drive
43': Long ball over the top from Bernard seeks out Ambrose. Indecisive from Dos Santos as he shepherds the ball back to Barthez who clears sharply
44': Back up at the Newcastle end where a kind bounce tempts Ferreira to swing his foot at a ball in the air from the right corner of the box. Clean enough strike but always rising over the bar
45': Whistle sounds and the sides go in with the score 1-0 in Marseille's favour.
45': Definitely Marseille's half. They are by far the more accomplished and composed of the two sides. Marlet and especially Drogba are keeping the Newcastle defence busy and so far Bramble and O'Brien have been up to the task. Newcastle offering little up front where Shearer is working hard but there is no creative spark. A set piece looks to be Newcastle's best bet - if they concede another, it's hard to see them getting two tonight
45': No changes at half time and Marseille kick off the second period
46': Early crossing opportunity for Meriem. With time and space on the left he elects to play a low ball along the six yard box but Bramble clears easily
47': Ameobi foced out wide left but is persistent enough to earn a corner
48': Speed seems surprised the ball comes through to him and his header goes across the box. Breaks to Viana on the edge of the box but it is on his wrong foot and he takes tto long. Half a chance
49': Ball intot he Newcastle box sees Marlet handball before he and Drogba pile into Given who claws the ball away regardless. Amazingly no foul is given by the referee
50': Nice move from Newcastle. Raking diagonal ball from Bramble picks out Ambrose who controls and cuts back before feeding Sherer who attempts to dink a ball into the box for Ameobi but plays it just too short. Promising from Newcastle
51': Newcastle keep to move going and Robert puts over his first decent cross of the night. Dos Santos has to head behind to stop Ambrose having a clear chance
52': Newcastle's best spell of the match as the game is being played in the Marseille half at the moment
53': Ameobis does well to turn his man just inside the box and he tries to curl a shot wide of Barthez but inside the far post. Curls too late and ends up a couple of feet wide.
54': ellow card for Beye who clatters into Ameobi out by the left corner flag
55': Free kick swung over looks harmless but Barthez still puches clear when it looked as though the catch was a formality
56': Barthez called into action again as Shearer latches onto a loose ball mid way in the Marseille half. Stikes for goal but the Frenchman gets down well to hold the ball
57': Decent spell for Newcastle but they are failing to get clear chances - mainly due to obdurate defending from the home side who look very, very dangerous when they break
58': A Newcastle attack breaks down and a swift punt forward looks to have played Drogba in before a retreating Bramble gets a head to it and powers back to his own keepr
59': Another swift break sees three against two for the French. Meite picks the wrong ball and squares to Marlet rather than playing in Drogba. Marlet does seek out the big front man but he has wandered offside
60': Snap shot from Marlet on the edge of the box dead centre goes narrowly wide of the post and crossbar. Let off for Newcastle
61': Game has really spread out and there appears to be space for both sides in the middle of the pitch
62': Ameobi uses his strength to create space to shoot but not for the first time it is from distance. Gets behind it but the direction is poor
63': Sloppy back pass from O'Brien almost allows Drogba to steal in and have a one on one with Given. The keeper shows quickness of thought to slide out with his feet and tackle Drogba himself. Dodgy moment at the back for Newcastle
65': The ineffectual Viana makes way for Lee Bowyer
66': Bowyer throw to Shearer in the box. He doesn't control it and the defender behind him seems to stop the ball with his elbow. Muted appeals as Shearer has a crack with the ricochet but is off target
67': Shearer goes wide and flings a cross over towrds Ameobi who has a couple of handfulls of Flamini's shirt and still can't get there. Free kick to Marseille
68': Newcastle have been much more positive and lively in this second period but the physically powerful Marseille defenders have coped with everything so far
69': Ambrose does well in his tussle with Dos Santos as the pair compete for a long ball down the right channel. Worries the defender enough for him to concede a corner
70': Robert's delivery is very poor just at a time when it needs to be at it's best
71': O'Brien takes a smack in the face as he challenges for an aerial ball
72': Panic in the Marseille penalty area as Barthez takes three attempts to collect a cross - the third after he had slapped the ball away from Ambrose's feet while the keeper is prostrate
74': A nasty challenge from Flamini in Shearer earns the Frenchman a justified yellow card
75': Very evenly poised now with Newcastle carrying a better goal threat and having kept Marseille to one goal
76': Marlet on the right suges forward well but his low cross is nowhere near its intended target of Drogba
77': Glorious chance for Newcastle as a deep cross looks tailor made for Shearer coming in at the back but Ameobi inexplicably takes it and heads across the box. Speed swings at it but he is facing the wrong way and misses by a couple of feet
78': Bedlam as Bowyer - surprise, surprise - is at the centre of some handbags. Really nasty challenge from the substitute and he is rightly booked for it. Bernard tells him to use his head - would make a nice change
80': Marlet goes off to be replaced by Laurent Batles
81': Batlles into the action early and works his way down the right flank before he is fouled to earn a free kick out wide level with the six yard box
82': One from the training ground. Two Marseille men run across the face of goal before a simple square ball picks out Drogba, now in plenty of space. Assured finish from around the penalty spot makes it 2-0 and ends this tie as a contest.
83': Ball over the top sees Drogba looking for his hat-trick. Looks like a fantastic sliding tackle from Bramble on the corner of the box to deny him the chance but the referee views it as a foul
84': Batlles takes the free kick but he cant keep it down as he tries to curl it towards the far corner
85': Newcastle throwing everything forward now and Bowyer gets in to a crossing position but spoons it over the bar when others were very well placed
86': The party has begun already in the Stade Velodrome as a sea of blue and white erupts into song
87': Drogba continues to show grace, poise, power and pace. Glides past three Newcastle defenders in a solo run from the half way line and the shot is going in until Given turns it away from his near post. Quality run that underlines Drogba's talents. He has been sensational tonight
88': Word has come through that champagne has already been delivered to the Marseille dressing room. No chance of that blowing up in their face. They are through and Newcastle are out
89': Man-of-the-match Didier Drogba is substituted and leaves the field to tumultuous acclaim - they know he is a bit special
90': Whistle sounds and it is Marseille who go through to the final of the Uefa cup and, on tonights showing, they deserve it
90': A better showing from Newcastle in the second half saw them get into the game but they were never able to unlock a very solid and physically strong Marseille defence. And the more Newcastle went in search of the equaliser that would have put them through, the more dangerous the home side looked on the break. In Didier Drogba Marseille had the game's outstanding talent and he has now scored in every round of the competition. A French side deservedly comes out on top against an English one again

Game Information

Competition: UEFA Cup

Venue: Velodrome
Location: , France
Attendance: 57,500

Line-Ups

Marseille

No.	Name
28	Fabien Barthez (GK)
2	Demetrius Ferreira
3	Manuel Dos Santos
6	Brahim Hemdani
7	Sylvain N'Diaye
18	Camel Meriem
12	Abdoulaye Méité
32	Mathieu Flamini
23	Habib Beye
11	Didier Drogba
20	Steve Marlet

Marseille Substitutes:

Jeremy Gavanon, Philippe Christanval, Johnny Ecker, Stepan Vachousek, Laurent Batlles, Fabio Celestini, Laurent Merlin.

Newcastle United

No.	Name
1	Shay Given (GK)
18	Aaron Hughes
5	Andy O'Brien
19	Titus Bramble
35	Olivier Bernard
17	Darren Ambrose
45	Hugo Viana
11	Gary Speed
32	Laurent Robert
9	Alan Shearer
23	Shola Ameobi

Newcastle United Substitutes:

Steve Harper, Robbie Elliott, Steven Caldwell, Lee Bowyer, Martin Brittain, Michael Bridges, Michael Chopra.

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