Shearer penalty brings points to Newcastle
Panionios 0 Newcastle 1
Alan Shearer stole Craig Bellamy’s thunder to clinch a vital UEFA Cup victory over Panionios with a late, late penalty.
The 34-four-old converted coolly from the spot after 87 minutes after substitute Shola Ameobi had been tripped by defender Grigoris Makos to ensure that the Magpies opened their Group D campaign with an away win.
It was just about what Graeme Souness’ men deserved after a performance which improved from unpromising beginnings as the game wore on, although it took Shearer’s seventh goal of the season and 21st in Europe for his hometown club to finally kill off the stubborn Greeks and extend his side’s unbeaten run to eight games.
The stage was set for the Welshman to answer his critics with a rip-roaring performance after apologising to his manager for an outburst sparked by his substitution against Charlton. But if he failed to deliver in the opening 45 minutes – neither his work rate nor commitment were ever in question – he was far from the biggest culprit.
The Magpies turned in a lacklustre display against distinctly ordinary opposition as Jermaine Jenas found support from his midfield colleagues Lee Bowyer, Laurent Robert and James Milner in depressingly short supply to leave Bellamy and strike partner Shearer woefully short of ammunition.
Panionios keeper Sorin Colceag was tested only twice in the first half, and on both occasions, proved equal to the task.
Frenchman Robert was first to pull the trigger, atoning for a dreadful 28th-minute free-kick with a blistering follow-up which blazed through a crowded penalty area before being turned firmly away.
Jenas warmed Colceag’s hands with an equally well-struck shot 10 minutes before the break, but the England international should have walked off at half-time with his name on the scoresheet.
Colceag could only parry Robert’s free-kick, and when the ball fell to the 21-year-old, he neatly side-stepped the cover only to hammer his left-foot effort high over the crossbar from just 10 yards.
The home side were afforded plenty of the ball by Newcastle’s failure to secure it on too many occasions, and they might have gone in ahead at the break had expectant father Shay Given not tipped a 23rd-minute Mario Breska header around the post.
Defender Panagiotis Giannopoulos also had two free headers and only got one on target, Given saving comfortably to preserve his clean sheet.
United returned determined to up the tempo and found space twice within minutes as the half unfolded.
First Robert ran on to Bellamy’s overhit pass and crossed for Shearer to head under pressure from Gianopoulos straight at Colceag, and then the captain played in the Frenchman once again, but this time his ball was cut out by defender Zil Domoraud.
Influential midfielder Martin Parodi wasted a good opportunity 55 minutes in when he smashed a 25-yard free-kick straight into Olivier Bernard in the defensive wall, but in truth, the crowd got more enjoyment out of the arrival of a stray dog on the pitch a few minutes later.
Bowyer had gone into overdrive in a bid to force his way into the game and picked up a yellow card for a rash 56th-minute challenge on Parodi, but it was the home side who looked the more likely to break the deadlock as the half wore on.
However, Bellamy found himself in on goal after 66 minutes after Robert split the home defence, but his first-time effort was blocked by Colceag.
Souness withdrew the ineffective Milner to send on Shola Ameobi after 67 minutes with Bellamy dropping deeper, and his side quickly created two promising openings.
First Shearer forced a good save from Colceag with a powerful header, but the new arrival should have opened the scoring after 72 minutes when he was presented with a free header at the far post but planted the ball wide.
The Magpies were finally dominating totally and Shearer directed another firm header into the ‘keeper’s arms 12 minutes from time as Robert continued his improvement, but still the breakthrough would not come.
Panionios’ lack of adventure was not being well received by the home supporters, and their mood did not improve when Robert cut in from the left and fired the ball into the side-netting.
But the deadlock was finally broken three minutes from time when Ameobi was tripped by Grigoris Makos inside the box and Shearer did what he does best to snatch the points.
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