Uefa Cup photos

Marseille had the better of the first period but they were frustrated by some stoic defending from the Italians.

Drogba slammed them ahead by taking a long pass, holding off two defenders and firing a shot past Alberto Fontana.

The hosts continued to press, Camel Meriem poking against the post and Laurent Batlles heading off the bar.

Marseille were on top from the start, with Drogba a persistent threat in his role as a lone striker, though they struggled to create many clear-cut chances.

Indeed Inter could have gone ahead when Habib Beye headed the ball away from Christian Vieri as the hitman lined up a shot on goal before Beye blocked a shot from Obafemi Martins.

A bad tempered first half was summed up by bookings for Marseille's Batlles and Inter's Kily Gonzalez after they slapped each other in the face following a heavy challenge on the Argentine.

But seconds after the break Drogba notched, making the most of some hesitant defending before shooting past Fontana, though the striker was booked for his celebrations - a caution which rules him out of the second leg.

As Marseille sought a second Meriem missed an astonishing chance. In the box with no defenders around he tripped on Fontana's foot and, lying on the ground, managed to prod his effort tamely against the post.

And then Batlles somehow saw his header graze the woodwork when it looked easier to score.

Marseille: Barthez, Meite, Hemdani, Beye, Dos Santos, N'Diaye, Flamini, Ferreira, Meriem, Batlles (Vachousek 81), Drogba.
Subs not used: Ecker, Celestini, Cicut, Ba, Cantareil, Gavanon.

Booked: Flamini, Batlles, Drogba.

Inter Milan: Fontana, Cordoba (Gamarra 60), Adani, Cannavaro, Javier Zanetti, Almeyda (Farinos 86), Cristiano Zanetti, Gonzalez, Karagounis (Emre 64), Martins, Vieri.
Subs not used: Van der Meyde, Lamouchi, Helveg, Cordaz.

Booked: Gonzalez, Cristiano Zanetti, Karagounis, Almeyda, Farinos.

Attendance: 57,000.

Referee: Lucilio Cardoso Cortez Batista (Portugal).