UEFA Cup Result: NUFC 1-0 Sporting Lisbon
Newcastle put the events of the past
few days behind them to take a slender but comfortable 1-0 lead to
Lisbon next week after a 37th minute goal from Alan Shearer
- his 11th of the competition - was enough to win the 1st leg of this
UEFA Cup Quarter-Final game.
Graeme Souness started with Kieron Dyer on the right side of
midfield, Nicky Butt was dropped for Amdy Faye, Steven Taylor replaced
the cup-tied Jean-Alain Boumsong and Shola Ameobi made a return up
front. Lee Bowyer was on the bench.
The visitors without Hugo Viana in their side started the brighter
of the two as United looked uneasy, ragged and fairly cagey but as
the game got underway the Toon started to exert some physical presence
over the green shirted away side, without looking convincing.
Sporting as expected, weaved their pretty little patterns but looked
lightweight in the final 3rd. The game was awful as a spectacle but
Toon fans had something to cheer when Shearer headed in past Ricardo
from a Robert free-kick. However the lets just say, over officious
referee ordered a retake of the free-kick citing the whistle never
went.
Moments later Big Al got his goal, his 192nd for the club and Newcastle
were worth their half-time lead.
After the break Shay Given - untested in the first half of his 50th
United appearance in Europe - made way for Steve Harper with the Irishman's
hip injury flaring up again. It's not known how long he'll be out
for.
Thankfully in Harper we have an able deputy as he proved mid-way through
the second 45, tipping a Moutinho drive around the post for a corner.
Sporting continued to have the lions share of possession while Newcastle
were left frustrated by the ref who denied Shola a scoring chance
after the striker had chased down a sloppy back-pass, took the ball
of Ricardo and was free to slot home. However the Russian Yuri Baskakov
deemed he had controlled the ball with his hand.
James Milner on for Laurent Robert should have added a second after
chesting down a raking 50-yard ball from Taylor, but the England Under-21
man could only blaze his shot over.
With just under 30 minutes left Dyer, who had pulled up with what
looks like a hamstring injury, limped off to a standing ovation -
replaced by Bowyer who gave his team-mate a high five. As he entered
the field he too got a standing ovation and his first touch brought
a round of cheers.
Hopefully this will have put an end to the whole affair... until the
Summer.
The final quarter of the game was played out without much incident
as United were happy with a 1-0 win and a clean sheet where as Sporting
huffed and puffed and shall be without the services of their prolific
Brazilian Leidson in the return leg after he was booked in the first-half
leading up to Big Al's goal.
All in all a satisfactory win, even if the performance was awful.
Well done Graeme and the lads.
United: Given (Harper 45), Carr, Andrew O'Brien, Taylor, Hughes,
Dyer (Bowyer 63), Jenas, Faye, Robert (Milner 57), Shearer, Ameobi.
Subs not used: Elliott, Butt, N'Zogbia, Ambrose.
Booked: Bowyer.
Goals: Shearer 37.
Sporting: Ricardo, Rogerio, Beto, Anderson Polga, Rui Jorge,
Rochemback, Carlos Martins (Mota 67), Pedro Barbosa (Tello 82), Joao
Moutinho, Liedson, Sa Pinto. Subs not used: Tiago, Niculae, Miguel
Garcia, Mario Sergio, Paito.
Booked: Liedson.
Att: 36,753
Ref: Yuri Baskakov (Russia). |
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
 |
 |
Toon
Shirts |
|
Sponsors |
|
