Lille 1-0 Liverpool

Goal : Eden Hazard 84’

Lille will head to Anfield in a week’s time defending a one-goal lead thanks to Eden Hazard’s long-range free-kick which eluded everyone, including Liverpool ‘keeper Pepe Reina and nestled inside the far post on 84 minutes.

The goal was reward for the excellent Hazard and an enterprising Lille side, urged on by a capacity-packed Stadium Lille-Métropole.

Substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could even have doubled the Round-of-16 first leg advantage in with three minutes left to play as his volley cannoned onto the post.

However, the LOSC, currently sixth in Ligue 1 after two games without a win, can be content with the single-goal lead – and, importantly, the cleansheet – after Mickaël Landreau made two excellent first-half saves to deny Markus Babbel (25’) and Fernando Torres (41’).

Benfica 1-1 Marseille

Goals: Maxi Pereira (B) 76', Hatem Ben Arfa (OM) 90'

Marseille’s excellent run of results in 2010 has coincided with Hatem Ben Arfa’s best form since joining the club from Lyon at the start of last season and it was the France international that saved his side with an injury-time equaliser after a mistake from Steve Mandanda had handed Benfica a 76^th-minute lead.

Two decades ago Benfica broke Marseille hearts when Vata’s hand-ball goal sent the Portuguese side into the European Cup final at the expense of Didier Deschamps and his teammates. But on Thursday, OM had only themselves to blame for nearly taking a one-goal deficit back to the Stade Vélodrome for next week’s return leg.

In an open first half, the former Porto playmaker Lucho Gonzalez squandered two gilt-edged chances to give the visitors the lead.

With 15 minutes left to play, Cardozo’s cross was spilt by Mandanda into the path of Maxi Pereira who gratefully accepted the gift to give the Lisbon side the lead.

However, Deschamps side refused to lie down and Mathieu Valbuena and Laurent Bonnart combined down the right-hand side to set up Ben Arfa for his headed equaliser, as rare as it is important.

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