Newcastle United 0-1 Sporting Lisbon |
|
Date:
Sunday 1st August 2004
Kick Off: 3.00pm (GMT)
Venue: St. James' Park
Att: 23,000 plus (no official figures)
Ref: Neale Barry
Comp: Pre-Season Friendly (Newcastle Gateshead
Cup Final) |
| Pre-Season
Match Report In Association With Toon
Ale |
|
Two Games In 24
Hours Takes It's Toll AS United Send A City To Sleep
Bobby made 4 changes to the side that started against Rangers with
Robbie Elliott coming in at centre-half for Andy O'Brien who had picked
up the contagious eye infection that ruled Shay Given out of the two
games, Martin Brittain for the injured Darren Ambrose on the right
flank, Shola Ameobi for the rested Craig Bellamy up front alongside
Alan Shearer and new signing James Milner making
his home debut for the injured Laurent Robert out wide on the left.
Otherwise it was the same team that started on Saturday against Rangers.
The match:
The game got off to a lively start with Shola testing Euro 2004 spot-kick
hero Ricardo (who was booed throughout) with a 22-yard effort that
was tipped over for a corner after good build up play from Milner
and Brittain.
After that however the game gradually progressed into a training practice
match with Sporting enjoying more of the ball then United and although
Newcastle showed some attacking purpose mainly through Milner down
the left and Brittain down the right neither two could muster any
decent deliveries into the box.
As early as the 20th minute the strains of playing a second game in
24 hours started to show with Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer less productive
than in the 4-2 win over Rangers yesterday.
Sporting, with the tempo and pace of the game suiting their way of
playing scored on 33 minutes with a 25-yard rocket from Rodrigo
Tello that flew into the top right-hand corner of Steve Harper's
goal. Aaron Hughes was partially at fault for the goal having backed
off and when the Sporting midfielder dropped his shoulder the Irishman
took the dummy and moved out of the way seconds before the shot was
unleashed.
That's how the score remained going into the break. 5 minutes into
the second half Bobby made his first change of the afternoon bringing
on Nicky Butt for Dyer with the new signing getting
another warm reception form the densely populated crowd.
Butt settled in straight away and was much more involved in this 45
than the 45 he enjoyed on Saturday and it wasn't long before he was
breaking up play, putting in challenges and keeping the midfield ticking
over - he looks a class act.
Patrick Kluivert,
the man we had all been waiting for was the second of Bobby's substitutions,
introduced to his new home crowd on 60 minutes for Shearer to a fantastic
reception. It's finally good to see the Dutchman in a Black &
White shirt after the long chase. Elliott was handed the Captain's
armband.
Not long after the Dutchman had come on Newcastle created their best
opportunity of the game when the excellent Titus Bramble threaded
a great ball through to Bowyer who raced onto it and dinked it over
Ricardo but the keeper was quick off his line to block it.
With the game petering out Newcastle resorted to the long ball and
Kluivert almost grabbed a dream goal with 5 minutes remaining when
Bramble's looping ball into the box was arched goalwards by the new
No.11 but Polga made a fantastic goal-line clearance from under his
own cross bar. And that's how the game finished in what can only be
described as an awful match played at a pace that would embarrass
a turtle - it was that slow.
There is no doubt that the efforts of yesterday and a second game
in 24 hours for many took it's toll but a good workout was had.
Toon
Player Ratings Vs Sporting Lisbon
Next up: Celtic
Vs Sporting Lisbon, Wednesday 4th August, Parkhead, K.O 7.45pm (UK
time)
| Newcastle
United |
Sporting
Lisbon |
Match
Facts & Stats
Half-Time: 0-1
Full-Time: 0-1
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 0
Goalscorers: 0
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 3
Butt (for Dyer 50min), Kluivert (on for Shearer 60min) Chopra
(on for Brittain 69min)
Injuries: None to report of
|
Sporting Lisbon Facts
& Stats |
Goalscorers: Tello (33)
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 5
Tinga (for Castro 45min), Pinilla (for Niculae 60min), Sergio
(for Douala 60min), Vieira (for Moutinho 66min), Paita (for
Tello 72min)
Injuries: N/A |
| Harper |
Pereira |
| Hughes |
Polga |
| Elliott |
Niculae |
| Bramble |
Garcia |
| Bernard |
Tello |
| Brittain |
Douala |
| Bowyer |
Beto |
| Dyer |
Jorge |
| Milner |
Castro |
| Shearer |
Rogerio |
| Ameobi |
Moutinho |
| Substitutes
Bench |
| Caig |
Ferreira |
|
Gate |
Saleiro |
| McClen |
Pinilla |
|
Ramage |
Paita |
| Butt |
Sergio |
| Chopra |
Tinga |
| Kluivert |
Vieira |
| How The Goals Were
Scored |
Sporting Lisbon Goal 33 Minutes: Rodrigo Tello
Tello broke from midfield to unleash an unstoppable 25-yard shot past
Harper's right hand dive with Aaron Hughes backing off prior to the
shot.
| Match
Reaction From Sir Bobby & Kluivert |
Bobby said:
"It was hard for some of the lads to play two games in two days,
but with six or seven players missing that was always going to be
a problem.
"On top of that Nicky Butt and Patrick Kluivert have had limited pre-seasons
so far so they need to get up to speed as well.
"They both wanted to get on and play their part, and it was good for
them and good for the public. But we knew neither would play an electrifying
part.
"Overall I felt we were sluggish and jaded. Our crosses from both
wings were poor, and with Shearer and Shola and then Shola and Kluivert
in the middle we didn't get the service into them.
"Credit to Sporting Lisbon as they played well and made changes to
the system they used on Saturday. They've scored a good goal as well,
similar to Olly Bernard's against Rangers the day before.
"But our aim is Middlesbrough in a fortnight's time at the start of
the new season, and it'll all fall into place by then."
Kluivert said:
"It was a different feeling having played six years in Barcelona,
now I have another jersey. It's different but it felt good and the
reception for a player here, and I could say this a thousand times,
is the best.
"I'm feeling very good. I only started training last Monday and I'm
not 100 per cent fit. I think with the game on Wednesday it will increase
even more. That was the first time I played alongside Shola Ameobi
and it's difficult to say something about the partnership yet, but
my impression was good.
"I knew that Alan Shearer and Shola Ameobi were strikers of high
class and sure I was impressed in training, and I hope they had a
good impression of me. The longer you train together, the better the
understanding between players.
"That's the most important thing, the understanding between the
strikers is going good."
Cla1dwa (forum member) wrote:
"That team hopefully will be very different to the one we put
out against Boro. In an ideal world Given, O'brien, Woodgate, Robert,
Bellamy, Kluivert and Butt would all start. Elliot looked like a player
who hasn't played in years, and I'm afraid Brittain just does not
look good enough. Milner should get on the right. That's so obviously
his favoured foot, on the left he was read like a book trying to turn
in. Dyer was very tired, only Shola looked like showing much up front.
Not really that bad considering the team and the tiredness factor,
but pretty damn boring eh?"
Daz NUFC (forum member) wrote:
"Bramble was amazing that game, he looks assured passing was
superb. Has played two back to back 90 minute games and hasn't really
made a mistake. Although he made one against Rangers but recovered
well. Could this be Bramble's season, hope so. And Milner looked canny
in the first half, just hope the lad practices with his left foot,
if we had him with both feet that would be orgasmic. Kluivert looked
bright although obviously lacking in match fitness. Showed his class
with bits of skill and the timing of that run that lead to the cross.
Hopefully we'll see the best of him. I was disappointed to see Bellamy
left off the team sheet, but it's understandable really I suppose
- he was sensational yesterday. SBR done well in the last two days.
All strikers played over 90 minutes barring kluivert for obvious reasons."
David S wrote in:
"Well that was boring. Bramble looked class but the rest didn't.
Good to see Kluivert in the shirt but he needs to work on his fitness.
Butt had a good half and Milner looks promising. Boring but these
games often are. Looking forward to the opening day"
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