Two superb goals from striker Didier Drogba sent Olympique Marseille through to the UEFA Cup final for the second time on Thursday after a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United.
Drogba struck in each half at the Stade Velodrome to settle the semifinal after a goalless first leg. Marseille will meet Valencia in the final in Gothenburg on May 19.
Ivory Coast forward Drogba, the Ligue 1 player of the year, showed fine individual skill to turn inside defender Aaron Hughes to net after 18 minutes.
PHOTO: REUTERS
His powerful strike from a well rehearsed free kick sealed the win eight minutes from time. He was only denied a hat-trick in the closing moments by a fine Shay Given save and was then substituted to rapturous applause.
Drogba has now scored 11 goals in Europe this season -- his first with the former European champions since joining from En Avant Guingamp. He hit five in the Champions League, which Marseille exited after the first group stage, and he has been on the mark in every round of the UEFA Cup.
Marseille are the second French side to reach a European final in 24 hours after Monaco's Champions League semifinal victory over Chelsea.
Injury-hit Newcastle, without several key players including Wales striker Craig Bellamy and England midfielders Kieron Dyer and Jermaine Jenas and defender Jonathan Woodgate, rarely threatened to deny Marseille their first European final since 1999 when they lost to Parma in this competition.
A cautious opening produced no chances, with Given easily dealing with weak efforts from Manuel Dos Santos and Drogba.
A Newcastle free kick was swiftly cleared out of defense and on a two-against-one break, Camel Meriem released the over-lapping Drogba and his strength and agility allowed him to brush away Hughes and fire home.
The game was halted briefly for a fire cracker to be extinguished behind Fabien Barthez's goal but when it resumed Newcastle were almost caught napping again.
Newcastle came out with greater purpose after the re-start and Shola Ameobi, using his strength to wriggle free in the area, curled narrowly wide.
Newcastle continued to huff and puff without creating a clear-cut chance and their hopes of progressing were extinguished on 82 minutes when Drogba, arriving on the penalty spot, smashed in a free kick rolled into him from the right.
Valencia 1, Villarreal 0
Valencia clinched their place in the UEFA Cup final after a first-half penalty from leading scorer Mista gave them a 1-0 aggregate win over Villarreal on Thursday.
For Villarreal defeat brought an end to a remarkable first-ever European campaign in which they have notched up a string of high-profile victims including Galatasaray, AS Roma and Celtic on their way to the semi-finals.
Valencia, who are based just 60km further along the Mediterranean coast from their neighbors, remain on course for a first-ever domestic and European double.
Rafa Benitez's side laid siege to the Villarreal goal from the start.
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