Osasuna on brink of UEFA Cup semis

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LEVERKUSEN, Germany -- Osasuna moved to the brink of a place in the last four of the UEFA Cup with a 3-0 win away to Bayer Leverkusen in their quarterfinal first leg on Thursday.

Osasuna took the lead inside the first minute when Javier Cuellar headed in from a David Lopez corner and the Spaniards never looked back.

Lopez made it 2-0 in the 71st minute when he blasted in from the edge of the box and two minutes later Pierre Webo chipped Leverkusen keeper Rene Adler for the third.

The result gives Osasuna a huge advantage going into the second leg in Spain and they look all but certain to seal a place in the semifinals.

Osasuna, making their first appearance in a European quarterfinal, enjoyed the perfect start in front of a 22,500 sell-out crowd, as Cuellar's bullet header beat the Leverkusen keeper.

"The early goal was a shock," Leverkusen coach Michael Skibbe told reporters. "We're obviously a long, long way from reaching the next round."

The Navarrans were on the rack for much of the rest of the first half but they held up well.

The home side's best chance of an equalizer came in the 18th minute.

Tranquillo Barnetta, picking up the ball on the edge of the area, threaded through a pass for the in-form Bernd Schneider. He controlled well only to see his shot blocked by goalkeeper Ricardo.

Barbarez was also close with a header that glanced just wide but Leverkusen generally found it difficult to break down the visiting defense, with a couple of long shots providing the only other opportunities in the first half.

Osasuna continued to look comfortable after the break, although Juan did give them one scare when the center-back, on a break forward, controlled well inside the area and shot straight at the goalkeeper in the 59th minute.

Osasuna broke the tension with just under 20 minutes to go when Lopez made no mistake when Valdo crossed and Savo Milosevic teed him up from just inside the area.

Leverkusen were shocked again a couple of minutes later when Milosevic sent Webo through to flick the ball over the keeper.

Goalless draw

AZ Alkmaar and Werder Bremen fought out a 0-0 draw in their UEFA Cup quarterfinal, first leg tie on Thursday.

The draw extended the Dutch side's unbeaten run at home to 30 games since they entered European competition in 1977.

Louis van Gaal's side went into the match as the competition's top scorers this season but failed to break down a resolute Bremen defense.

The German title challengers threatened first when a defense-splitting backheel from playmaker Diego put Clemens Fritz through but Boy Waterman cleared.

Alkmaar, in a cautious opening, had to wait until half an hour in for their first goal attempt, winger Julian Jenner setting up Maarten Martens for a header that goalkeeper Tim Wiese turned over the bar.

Both side's attacked with greater vigor in the second half. Bremen's left back Pierre Wome forced Waterman to stretch and save his firm drive and minutes later the keeper also denied Diego.

At the other end Wiese kept out a close range attempt from Belgian striker Moussa Dembele.

The breakthrough nearly came midway through the second half when Wome was forced to clear his own header back to his keeper off the line.

There was confusion in the closing minutes when referee Olegario Benquerenca brandished a yellow card and subsequent red card at Alkmaar defender Gretar Steinsson but corrected his mistake after realising he had not previously been booked.

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