• Champions League

Toothless United held to draw

Darren Fletcher's shot was about as good as it got for Manchester United © PA Photos

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Wednesday night gallery

A flat Manchester United could do no better than a 0-0 draw with Olympique Marseille in a first leg of few clear-cut chances or genuine action in France.

United arguably enjoyed their best spell of the Champions League last 16 clash at the very beginning, with Darren Fletcher pouncing as the ball came out to him on the edge of the area to test Steve Mandanda with a well-struck effort.

Beyond that - and a few half-chances throughout the game - it was mainly a defensive effort from Sir Alex Ferguson's side, who seemed to struggle to find a real rhythm as the Stade Velodrome reverberated to a wall of noise.

Fortunately the United defenders appeared to have little difficulty communicating, with Nemanja Vidic and Chris Smalling both making important interventions to prevent Marseille attackers finding dangerous positions - although goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was nearly caught out by an inswinging corner-kick just before half-time.

As Marseille struggled to create genuine chances from some enthusiastic attacking thrusts, United then again grew in influence during the final ten minutes of the game - with Mandanda forced to rush out to pluck the ball off the feet of an onrushing Nani.

The game ultimately stumbled on to the final whistle without further incident, which seemed to be welcomed by United - who now know victory at Old Trafford in the second leg will guarantee their progression.

In the night's other game, it looked like a similar story would unfold as Inter Milan and Bayern Munich seemed to be playing out another closely-fought scoreless draw before Mario Gomez stunned the San Siro crowd with a late finish.

With added time just beginning, Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar could only parry Arjen Robben's speculative 25-yard drive, and Gomez was first to pounce on the loose ball to side-foot it beyond the sprawling Brazilian and ensure the German side returned home with a crucial advantage.

Bayern Munich, thanks to an alert Mario Gomez, stunned Inter Milan late on © Getty Images

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It was arguably only what the visitors - seeking revenge in a repeat of last season's Champions League final - deserved after 90 minutes of action they narrowly had the better of, with Gomez guilty of heading one attempt onto the bar and blasting another shot from seven yards well over the goal before his late moment of redemption.

With Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben on the pitch Louis van Gaal's side always threatened to create something - with the duo combining to see the Frenchman head an inswinging cross into Cesar's arms in the first half, and Thomas Muller wasting a similar opportunity midway through the second.

Holders Inter had opportunities of their own - Maicon flashed a chance narrowly wide, and substitute Houssine Kharja having his shot well parried away by Thomas Kraft - but when Samuel Eto'o's first time effort deflected agonisingly wide of the far post it became clear that it would not be a night for goals for the home side.

A goalless draw would not have been the end of the world, but Gomez's late strike will have left a sour taste in the mouth - not to mention an uphill task to ensure progression to the quarter-finals.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.