Wednesday, 29 March 2006 22:36:21
MILAN - Adriano made a little piece of Nerazzurri history as Inter came back from behind to beat Villarreal 2-1 in part one of their Champions League quarter-final clash at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

The Brazilian striker scored a quick reply to Diego Forlan's shock opener to equal Sandro Mazzola's long-standing record of 16 goals for Inter in Europe's most prestigious club competition, with Obafemi Martins scoring a second-half winner to set up an exciting return leg at the El Madrigal next Tuesday.

Villarreal silenced San Siro in the opening minute when Diego Forlan slotted home a loose ball from close range after Toldo parried Jose Mari's shot from Riquelme's through ball.

Inter hit straight back and had a chance to level in the second minute when Adriano lobbed Viera after meeting Stankovic's ball over the defence, only for Javi Venta to clear on the line at the back post.

The Villarreal keeper denied Veron then Gonzalo cleared a Recoba cross before the Nerazzurri's persistence paid off after seven minutes when Dejan Stankovic took a Recoba pass into the Spanish area then squared for Adriano to control, turn and smash home from just outside the six-yard box.

From their few pockets of first-half possession Calleja and Forlan forced saves from Francesco Toldo but it was Inter who went closer to increasing their lead when Adriano powered a header wide of Viera's left-hand post from a Zanetti cross.

Inter's took the lead nine minutes after the restart when Dejan Stankovic looped the ball over Sorin on the right and whipped in a cross for Oba Martins to bundle over from two yards out.

Both sides hit the woodwork as the tempo dropped, with Riquelme curling a free kick on to Toldo's crossbar before Martins headed an Adriano cross against the upright.

INTER 2-1 VILLARREAL (HT: 1-1)

Scorers: Forlan 1, Adriano 7, Martins 54

INTER: 1 Toldo; 4 J.Zanetti, 2 Cordoba, 25 Samuel, 33 Wome; 5 Stankovic (18 Kily Gonzalez 82), 14 Veron, 19 Cambiasso, 31 Cesar (23 Materazzi 69); 10 Adriano, 20 Recoba (30 Martins 28)
Subs not used: 12 Julio Cesar, 6 C.Zanetti, 8 Pizarro, 9 Cruz
Coach: Roberto Mancini

VILLARREAL: 13 Viera; 17 Javi Venta, 2 Gonzalo, 22 Pena, 12 Sorin; 8 Riquelme, 4 Arzo (16 Quique Alvarez 60), 19 Senna, 11 Calleja (21 Santi Cazorla 87); 23 Jose Mari (99 Franco 76), 5 Forlan
Subs not used: 25 Barbosa, 10 Roger, 30 Alcantara, 33 Rubio Gomez
Coach: Manuel Pellegrini

Referee: Alain Sars (France)

Booked: Recoba 27, Senna 34, Sorin 35, Samuel 62, Veron 90+1