Tyrone Mears help Marseille through to next round of 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 foced a 2-2 draw at home to Werder Bremen but they went out 3-2 on aggregate.
The Ajax and Marseille clash 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 former Dutch international Boudewijn Zenden – who played for PSV Eindhoven during his time in the domestic league – 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.
It was justice for the club and Niang, who had had an earlier goal disallowed when Kone was adjudged rather harshly to be offside whilst Nigerian international Taye Taiwo had seen a vicious effort turned away for a corner by Vermeer.
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.
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