Inter through after seven-goal thriller

INTER MILAN edged into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup last night with a thrilling 4-3 win over Benfica in their fourth-round, second-leg match at the San Siro stadium.

After a goalless first leg, Benfica went ahead in the 36th minute with a fine shot from former Fiorentina striker Nuno Gomes, but Inter drew level on the stroke of half-time through Nigerian forward Obafemi Martins.

Inter’s Uruguayan substitute Alvaro Recoba put the home side ahead in the 61st minute and three minutes later he helped set up Christian Vieri to make it 3-1 and seemingly end the contest.

But Nuno Gomes brought Benfica back into the game with a close-range effort, only for Martins to add his second and Inter’s fourth in the 70th minute.

The Portuguese side never gave up though, and a brilliant strike from Mendes Tiago in the 78th minute ensured a nervous finale for Inter who hung on to take their place in the last eight.

A second-half goal by striker Sonny Anderson sent Villarreal into the quarter-finals at the expense of AS Roma, as they lost 2-1 at the Olympic Stadium but went through 3-2 on aggregate.

Having lost the first leg 2-0 in Spain, Roma needed an early goal to settle their nerves and Brazilian midfielder Emerson obliged after 10 minutes with a swerving shot from outside the area.

Striker Antonio Cassano bagged Roma’s second goal five minutes after the interval, jabbing home a low cross from strike partner Francesco Totti.

But when Anderson turned the ball past goalkeeper Ivan Pelizzoli in the 66th minute to claim a precious away goal he left Roma needing to score twice to have any chance to progress.

Roma pushed all their players into the opposition half in the final minutes but the 90th-minute sending off of defender Jonathan Zebina effectively ended the contest.

Mateja Kezman’s double eased PSV Eindhoven to a 3-0 defeat of AJ Auxerre, with the Dutch club going through 4-1 on aggregate.

Kezman, who is aiming for a big money transfer this summer, put the Dutch champions ahead after just four minutes following a neat interchange with Korea’s Ji-Sung Park.

Auxerre, missing both Djibril Cisse and Bonaventure Kalou, almost levelled when Olivier Kapo’s close-range effort was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus.

Kezman then provided some breathing space after 27 minutes when he converted a Young-Pyo Lee cross at the far post.

PSV defended well in the second-half and with 17 minutes remaining skipper Mark van Bommel picked up a defence-splitting pass from John de Jong and finished with ease to set up a quarter-final tie with Newcastle.

Club Bruges were beaten 1-0 by Bordeaux and slipped out of the tournament on a 4-1 aggregate.

Lively striker Maruane Chamakh scored the only goal of the night to cap a miserable night for the Belgian side who rarely threatened to claw back a 3-1 first leg deficit.