Inter and Ajax hang on
Tuesday, December 10, 2002
Article summary
There were Matchday Eight wins for Internazionale FC and AFC Ajax while Arsenal FC drew with Valencia CF.
Article body
Luigi Di Biagio scored twice as UEFA Champions League Group A leaders Internazionale FC claimed a 3-2 home victory over Bayer 04 Leverkusen in their second group stage encounter in Milan.
Flicked header
The midfield player opened the scoring with a flicked header from Alvaro Recoba's corner in the 15th minute at the San Siro. He then added his second 12 minutes later, finishing off a superb Inter move involving Javier Zanetti and Recoba.
Hope for Leverkusen
Leverkusen gave themselves hope shortly after the hour mark, when defender Boris Zivkovic turned in Oliver Neuville's corner but Inter restored their two-goal advantage with nine minutes remaining when German goalkeeper Hans-Jörg Butt fumbled the ball into his own net. Brazilian striker França scored in added time to make it 3-2 and ensure a nervous finale but Inter held on.
Match postponed
Tonight's other Group A match between FC Barcelona and Newcastle United FC was postponed shortly before kick-off following a heavy downpour at the Camp Nou. The match will now be played on Wednesday night.
Ajax in front
In Group B, AFC Ajax, who drew 2-2 with Valencia CF in their opening second group stage fixture, overcame the challenge of AS Roma to run out 2-1 winners at the Amsterdam ArenA. Zlatan Ibrahimovic pounced to open the scoring on eleven minutes after Roma goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli could only parry Nigel De Jong's long-range effort.
Litmanen second
Jari Litmanen then doubled his side's advantage after 66 minutes, curling the ball beyond Antonioli into the top corner from the edge of the area following a neat cut-back from Ibrahimovic. Gabriel Batistuta pulled one back for Roma with a header from just inside the area in the final minute, but Ajax stood firm and claimed the three points.
Exciting stalemate
In the group's other encounter, Arsenal FC and Valencia CF played out a goalless draw at Highbury. In a meeting of the league champions of England and Spain, both sides looked lively in attack but Arsenal found stand-in keeper Andrés Palop in outstanding form. The visitors were reduced to ten men when Miguel Angulo received a straight red card for elbowing Pascal Cygan with 18 minutes remaining, before both Sylvain Wiltord and John Carew had efforts cleared off the line in added time.