Forlan nets important away goal

Inter 2-1 Villarreal: Villarreal kept their hopes alive of extending their impressive run in the Champions League this season after getting an away goal in a defeat at the hands of Internazionale.

Diego Forlan scored the crucial away goal after just 45 seconds, but Inter were back level again within six minutes through the predatory instinct of Adriano.

Obafemi Martins put the home side ahead after 54 minutes, but they were unable to extend their advantage and, in the end, were holding on to their one-goal advantage for the second leg.

Villarreal have already upset Everton, Manchester United and Rangers in previous rounds and they were preparing to add Inter to that list before many of the fans at the San Siro had found their seats.

Just 45 seconds were on the clock when Forlan put the visitors ahead. The former Manchester United striker was in the right place for an easy tap-in after Francesco Toldo could only parry Jose Mari's effort after good work from Juan Roman Riquelme.

Inter's reply was almost immediate when Adriano lobbed the ball over Sebastian Viera with his first touch of the night, but Javi Venta was sweeping up behind and managed to clear the ball off the line.

Juan Sebastian Veron had the next chance to equalise as Inter looked to get back on terms without wasting much time, but he was just a split-second late to Alvaro Recoba's throughball, allowing Viera to get there first.

Dejan Stankovic did reach Recoba's next ball threaded through the defence
and the result was the equaliser. Stankovic's pull-back should have been kicked into the stands by Juan Manuel Pena, but he scuffed his clearance, much to the delight of the awaiting Adriano who turned and swept the ball in from close range.

Villarreal did not lie down, however, and Javier Calleja and Forlan both tested Toldo before Inter settled and began searching for a second goal. Adriano lacked his magic touch from two direct free-kicks which both missed the goal to the right while Javier Zanetti's curling shot was tipped wide by Viera.

The pair then combined from open play with the latter providing the cross which the former headed just inches wide of the post late in the first half.

Ten seconds of the second half had elapsed when Obafemi Martins went close to meeting Cesar's cross with his head, but a lightning start like that of Villarreal's in the first half did not materialise. Zanetti continued to probe down the right, making light work of Juan Pablo Sorin, who was  reluctant to risk any challenge after receiving a yellow card in the first half.

This allowed the Argentinian and his partner on the right wing Stankovic to use their skills and pace to lead the charge for a second Inter goal, and it wasn't long in coming.

Stankovic robbed the luckless Sorin of the ball and drilled the ball across goal where Martins managed to make contact with his standing leg and divert the cross in. Stankovic almost provided Martins with the third when he once again raced past Sorin to cross, but Gonzalo managed to clear before the Nigerian could shoot.

Riquelme almost scored a second away goal when his free-kick crashed back off the crossbar, and while the effort awoke the contingent of travelling supporters, it also served as a warning to Inter that the tie was far from over.

In fact, with 20 minutes of the first leg remaining, Villarreal were almost back in the driving seat as Riquelme's shot missed the post by inches with the Inter defence in disarray. Inter were forced onto the back foot as their guests grew in confidence and it was more a case of holding on to the advantage than running down the clock and Roberto Mancini's side would have perhaps been happier than Villarreal when referee Alain Sars blew the final whistle.

But there is still a lot of work for Inter to do in Spain next week to complete their passage into the semi-finals against a plucky Villarreal side.