Inter won but could only follow its 4-0 destruction of Roma at the weekend with a lackluster victory over visiting Anorthosis Famagusta, with Adriano getting the only goal in the 44th.
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Adriano celebrates after he scored at a Group B match of Champions League against Anorthosis Famagusta on October 22, 2008. Inter Milan won 1-0.
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Adriano beat two defenders in the air to head in a floated cross from fellow Brazil international Maicon, giving Inter the lead in Group B with seven points. Anorthosis has four points, one more than Werder Bremen, which equalized in the 83rd through Hugo Almeida for a 2-2 draw at Panathinaikos.
English referee Mike Riley twice delayed the start of the game because a green lazer was being shone in the face of the Bremen goalkeeper.
Elsewhere, Chelsea and Liverpool both labored in efforts to carry impressive Premier League form into Europe.
Chelsea was coming off a 5-0 victory at Middlesbrough and Roma was reeling from its Serie A loss to Inter, but any thoughts that the Blues might get an easy win were dispelled as the Italian side seemed content to frustrate the hosts by defending in numbers.
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Chelsea players celebrate after the team scores. Chelsea moved closer to qualification with a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Roma. [Xinhua]
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"They made it very difficult for us the whole time," Terry said. "They're a very good side, with some great players in their team. Maybe they deserved something, but thankfully we got the three points."
Chelsea, which leads the Premier League on goal difference from Liverpool, had to wait until the 77th for its goal, which could have been prevented if Roma had put a defender on the line for the corner kick that led to Terry's header.
Still, Chelsea went clear in Group A with seven points to CFR Cluj's four after the Romanian club lost at Bordeaux 1-0. Roma and Bordeaux were even with three points each.
Liverpool continues to share the Group D lead with Atletico after Simao equalized in Madrid with a low shot past goalkeeper Pepe Reina. Both teams have seven points.
It was as much as the home side deserved despite trailing to Robbie Keane's 14th-minute goal. Diego Forlan had a 56th-minute equalizer ruled out because of a questionable offside decision, and Simao saw his shot a minute later pushed onto the post by Reina.
PSV Eindhoven comes next in Group D, finally getting its first points with a 2-0 win over Marseille.
"The Champions League is over. You have to be realistic," Marseille coach Eric Gerets said. "We don't belong in the next round of the Champions League when you look at tonight's match. There was a world of difference between the two teams in terms of desire, physical freshness, and courage."
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily October 23, 2008)
