A roundup of media reaction to Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Levadia in the UEFA Cup on Thursday night that saw United make the group stages.

Newcastle eased into the group stages of the Uefa Cup thanks to an Obafemi Martins brace against Levadia Tallinn.

Martins headed home Emre’s right-wing corner just after the interval and followed it up with a 20-yard left-foot screamer that crashed in moments later.

Magpies keeper Steve Harper let Levadia back in it, letting Indrek Zelinski’s tame header slip through his fingers.

But Newcastle rarely looked in danger after that slip-up and comfortably held on to secure their passage through.

BBC Sport

Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins paid a sizeable chunk off his £10million transfer fee to fire his side into the UEFA Cup group stage. The 21-year-old headed home a 47th-minute Emre corner to claim his first goal at St James’ Park, and then added a second three minutes later with a superb strike to see off Levadia Tallinn 3-1 on aggregate after a 2-1 win on the night.

Martins’ intervention could hardly have been better timed after a lethargic opening 45 minutes by the Magpies which had given the Estonians hope of clawing their way back into the tie.

There were a few nervous moments for a crowd of just 27,012 when substitute Indrek Zelinski pulled a goal back with the help of an error from Steve Harper in the 65th minute, but Glenn Roeder’s men saw the game out comfortably.

Newcastle will now keenly await Tuesday’s draw in Nyon, the reward for a European campaign which started with their preparations for the Intertoto Cup way back on June 28.

F365

Newcastle United are in the group stages of the Uefa Cup after a 2-1 second-leg win over Levadia Tallinn gave them a 3-1 aggregate success.

A second-half brace from Obafemi Martins gave the North East giants a three-goal aggregate lead before Levadia substitute Indrek Zelinski scored a consolation for the Estonians.

Magpies boss Glenn Roeder rested three key players in captain Scott Parker, centre back Craig Moore and striker Shola Ameobi, with all three left on the Newcastle substitutes’ bench.

Emre’s inswinging corner from the right found Martins unmarked in the six-yard box as he headed home Newcastle’s second aggregate goal.

Seconds after scoring, Roeder’s side nearly handed Levadia an equaliser, but goalkeeper Steve Harper was able to block Voskoboinikov’s strike after he was put clear though on goal.

The Estonians would rue missing that opportunity, as Martins struck his second goal in the space of three minutes when he hammered Sibierski’s knock-down off the underside of the crossbar and into the net for 2-0.

SkySports

NEWCASTLE fans have a new No 9 to worship after Obafemi Martins fired them into the UEFA Cup group stages and celebrated in style.

The £10million forward has been handed the shirt formerly worn by legend Alan Shearer and finally announced his arrival on Tyneside.

Martins struck twice in five minutes after half-time before performing somersaults in front of the Gallowgate. And if the Nigerian can now carry his form into the Premiership then the Toon Army could easily fall head over heels for him.

Emre curled in a corner and Martins stole in at the near post to nod home and embarked on his extravagant celebration.

Prior to this, he had managed one goal in six games but his confidence was clearly boosted by his opener.

Just three minutes later he scored again as the Toon were assured of their passage through to the group stages.

Antoine Sibierski nodded the ball back for Martins to unleash a superb left-footed drive in off the bar.

Estonians Levadia Tallinn got a consolation when Indrek Zelinski’s header squirmed past keeper Steve Harper.

The Sun

OBAFEMI Martins got his somersaulting routine out to entertain the Newcastle fans last night, celebrating a double that eased them into the group stages.

The Nigerian star has had a stumbling start to his career on Tyneside but burst into action and showed his finishing power with two goals in 175 seconds.

Martins, bought from Inter Milan, took his tally to a respectable three in seven starts since his £10million summer move.

Martins, who stands just 5ft 7ins tall, produced an athletic leap, rising above the defenders who had towered over him all night, to glance home in the 47th minute from man-of-the-match Emre’s corner.

It produced a simple clenched-fist salute to the Gallowgate End, but less than three minutes later he unveiled a celebration that Toon fans hope will become a regular sight.

Martins’ four-flip tumbling routine, just like former favourite Lomana LuaLua, was as spectacular as the volley that sparked it.

The 21-year-old picked up a nod down from Antoine Sibierski, took a touch, and fired home into the top right corner in off the crossbar.

Naturally, being Newcastle, there was still time for a defensive blunder to gift the Estonians a consolation goal. Keeper Steve Harper has started three games deputising for Shay Given and in two of them his slips have given away goals.

The Mirror

Alan who? A somersaulting Obafemi Martins ensured the Toon Army fell head over heels for their new goal-scoring hero last night. The striker recruited to fill the void left by Alan Shearer at Newcastle almost single-handedly secured the club’s passage into the Uefa Cup group phase in stunning fashion.

The 21-year-old, sporting the No 9 shirt that became synonymous with Shearer, provided hope the talismanic former captain will not be missed too much on Tyneside with his first goals at St James’ Park after drawing three blanks. And the manner of his work was trademark Shearer although his acrobatic celebrations eclipsed his predecessor’s famed salute.

An impressive header and then a brilliant shot in the space of four minutes after the break from Martins were typical Shearer, likewise his invigorating presence that ensured Newcastle prospered after one of their traditional shaky starts to what Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd described as a “David-versus-Goliath” affair.

Whatever was said to Martins at half-time obviously paid immediate dividends. In front of the Gallowgate, the Nigeria international jumped above his marker to head Emre Belozolgu’s corner past Artur Kotenko from the edge of the six-yard box in the 47th minute and celebrated with his trademark somersaults.

Martins reprised his celebrations four minutes later but this time his eye-catching goalscoring exploits eclipsed even his gymnastics as he struck in spectacular fashion.

For the first time, Antoine Sibierski linked up with the £10 million former Inter Milan player when he headed James Milner’s cross down to his colleague, who responded by unleashing a rising shot from just outside the penalty box that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.

Telegraph

Two goals from Obafemi Martins helped guide the Magpies into the group stages of the UEFA Cup with a 2-1 win over Levadia Tallinn at St. James’ Park on Thursday.

After a goalless first period, Martins lit up the game with a header two minutes after the restart from Emre’s right wing corner to register his first goal on home soil since his big-money switch from Inter Milan.

And the Nigerian was showing off his somersault celebration again three minutes later after rifling the ball into the roof of the net from 20 yards when Antoine Sibierski flicked on Nicky Butt’s cross.

Levadia pulled a goal back when substitute Indrek Zelinski saw his header squirm under Steve Harper, but the Magpies remained well on top for the rest of the game and eased through with a 3-1 aggregate win.

Official website