Marseille and Manchester United canceled each out in a closely contested match of few chances on Wednesday, drawing 0-0 in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Only Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda was really tested in the first leg, plunging low to his right to keep out United midfielder Darren Fletcher's shot in the ninth minute and later diving at Nani's feet in the second half.
''A goal away from home is always important. We didn't do that, that's a disappointment for me,'' United coach Alex Ferguson said. ''At this stage of the competition, away goals count. But you have to say Manchester United at home, we have a good chance. I don't care if it's 10-9.''
Marseille started the second half well, but United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar had a quiet night at Stade Velodrome with the French champions lacking the final pass to unlock the defense.
Marseille coach Didier Deschamps organized his team well, cutting off the supply line to United forward Dimitar Berbatov and forcing Wayne Rooney to drop deep to get into the game.
''Our passing wasn't as good as it normally is,'' Ferguson said. ''Marseille made sure they weren't going to lose a goal. They're very strong defensively, a very powerful team. Marseille didn't pose many problems for us. Nothing really happened to be honest, and I don't think it was a good match to watch.''
Deschamps got what he wished for before the match - no goals conceded - and is optimistic about his team's chances at Old Trafford on March 15.
''It's half the job not to concede goals at home. I'm proud of what my players did tonight because they rose to the challenge,'' Deschamps said. ''It will be a different story in three weeks at Old Trafford, but we will have to go there without fear.''
Ferguson started with Nani and Rooney were either side of center forward Berbatov, and Michael Carrick in a holding role just in front of the back four.
Deschamps started with Brandao in the lone striker's role, flanked by Loic Remy on the right and Ghana winger Andre Ayew on the left.
''We know a lot of United's game goes through the wings. It was an option to get those one-on-one situations down the sides,'' Deschamps said. ''You need to make a lot of effort if you're going to do that, and Ayew and Remy put in a lot of effort tonight.''
United was missing Brazilian midfielder Anderson and veteran winger Ryan Giggs, while Marseille was without striker Andre-Pierre Gignac because of a groin injury.
United left back Patrice Evra, playing for the first time at home since his beleaguered reign as France captain at last year's World Cup, was jeered every time he touched the ball.
United looked the sharper side early on, and Mandanda had to react late to keep out Fletcher's low shot. Rooney then broke into the penalty area in the 11th, only for Marseille center half Souleymane Diawara to take the ball off him as he prepared to shoot.
It took Marseille more than 20 minutes to find any space in a gritty first half, such was the control Fletcher, Carrick and Darron Gibson had in midfield.
Remy set off on a winding run in the 24th, but Chris Smalling blocked Ayew's snapshot from the edge of the area.
Ayew's pace down the left was causing John O'Shea problems at right back, but he was a rare threat in an otherwise industrious Marseille team lacking invention.
''Ayew did an amazing amount of work for them. He did a great job on Nani, tracking back, he was on his heels,'' Ferguson said.
Marseille's Brandao was lucky to escape a booking when he raised his elbow into defender Nemanja Vidic's face early in the second half.
''I didn't see the Vidic incident, (but) I thought it was clear that Rooney was brought down (in the second half),'' Ferguson said.
Marseille playmaker Lucho Gonzalez then started to get more involved, with Deschamps seemingly giving him more license to look for gaps in United's defense.
Gonzalez flicked over a cross to Brandao in the 53rd, but the Brazilian's header lacked any power.
With United dropping further and further back, Marseille was on top for a short spell, with Gonzalez finding more and more space and Remy taking on United's defenders with runs from deep.
Marseille almost took the lead in the 62nd when Ayew's drive across the face of goal just eluded Brandao's toe.
United looked to catch Marseille out with quick breaks, and managed to free O'Shea down the right in the 68th. His cross was flicked on by Nani and, after Rod Fanni failed to clear the ball, Diawara slid in to block Berbatov's shot.
France winger Mathieu Valbuena took his place on the bench, a month after partially tearing knee ligaments and damaging his ankle in a training ground accident, but made little impact when he came on near the end.
United's last threat resulted in Mandanda rushing off his line with five minutes left to dive quickly at Nani's feet.
