Fuente : UEFA (English)
http://www.uefa.com/

Intertoto Cup: 'Magic moments' light up France

/noticias.info/ French clubs continued their remarkable success in the UEFA Intertoto Cup last night as Olympique de Marseille and RC Lens became the eleventh and 12th Ligue 1 sides to progress to the UEFA Cup via the summer competition.

Expectant crowd
Despite Marseille making their worst start to a season in 36 years, and facing elimination following a 2-0 defeat in the first leg of their final against RC Deportivo La Coruña in Spain, 50,000 expectant fans filled the Vélodrome and were rewarded as the Provencal team completed an improbable turnaround.

'Magic moments'
Mamadou Niang was the hero, making the score 4-1 with his second goal of the evening with just two minutes remaining to put Marseille ahead for the first time in the tie. Moments later Wilson Oruma added another to seal OM's place in the UEFA Cup and complete a stunning 5-1 victory. Fighting back the tears, Marseille coach Jean Fernandez said: "I told the players that anything can happen at the Vélodrome - this stadium is, at times, lifted by magic moments."

'We were brilliant'
Lens's progress was more straightforward as goals from Vitorino Hilton, Adama Coulibaly and Daniel Cousin enabled them to defeat CFR Cluj 3-1 last night following a 1-1 first-leg draw in Romania. "We were brilliant in the second half," said coach Francis Gillot, whose side have now scored ten goals in two games following their 7-0 win against AJ Auxerre on Saturday. "We could have scored a lot more and Cluj were lucky. My main instructions were not to concede and we struggled at times to achieve that in the first half but were much better afterwards."

French pedigree
Reaching the UEFA Cup is particularly special for Lens as they celebrate their centenary. Entering the Intertoto Cup represented something of a gamble for a club who feared the early start could have a negative impact on their season come spring. But with a European campaign to look forward to, that now appears to be a risk worth taking.

'Centennial year'
Lens's most successful continental excursion came in 1999/00 when they reached the UEFA Cup semi-finals. Five years on, expectations are high. "I want this centennial year to leave a mark on the field," president Gervais Martel said. There would be no better way for Lens to celebrate their 100th birthday than by repeating the exploits of FC Girondins de Bordeaux, who a decade ago used the Intertoto Cup as a springboard to the UEFA Cup final.

Six entrants
Marseille are desperate to get there as well, to make amends for their defeat by Valencia CF in the 2004 showpiece. And with AS Monaco FC, Stade Rennais FC, AJ Auxerre and RC Strasbourg also contesting the UEFA Cup this term, it would come as no suprise to see a French side in the final next May. notas_de_prensa_archivo