November 15, 2002	Friday	Ramazan 9, 1423

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PARIS, Nov 14: Newcastle became the unlikeliest qualfiers for the second phase of the Champions League Wednesday as all the elements needed to gain a place in the lucrative last 16 came together.

Welsh international Craig Bellamy’s last minute goal handed them a 3-2 win away at Feyenoord while another team in black and white, Juventus, pulled off a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Dynamo Kiev for their first Champions League away win in 19 matches.

Kiev slumped to third place while Newcastle became the first team to make the second round after losing their first three matches and gave manager Bobby Robson even happier memories of the stadium where he won the Cup Winners Cup with Barcelona in 1997.

Feyenoord were left to survey the ruins of a campaign that sees them surrender their UEFA Cup title without even firing a shot in that competition.

Elsewhere Deportivo La Coruna performed an heroic comeback to beat AC Milan 2-1 at the San Siro and seal their place in the second round alongside their opponents.

French side Lens had to make do with a UEFA Cup spot after fighting back three times to force a 3-3 draw with tailenders Bayern Munich and leave France without a representative in the second phase.

Manchester United gave Alex Ferguson something to smile about as they rebounded from their 3-1 humbling in last Saturday’s Manchester derby to beat last season’s finalists and their conquerors in the last four, Bayer Leverkusen 2-1, the German side missing a first-half penalty.

United will be seeded in Friday’s draw.

Israeli outfit Maccabi Haifa took the UEFA Cup slot in the group after drawing 3-3 in Athens with Olympiakos, the Greeks coming back from 3-1 down.

Barcelona’s average league form has not translated onto the Champions League and they ended the first phase with the sole 100 percent record as a second-string team saw off the desperately disappointing Turkish side Galatasaray 3-1.

Gala’s woes were rounded off as Lokomotiv Moscow jumped from fourth to second with a 2-0 defeat at home to FC Bruges while the Belgians took the UEFA Cup slot, leaving the winners of that competition two years ago out in the cold and without some desperately needed cash.

Feyenoord fought back from 2-0 down but Bellamy repaid Robson’s faith in rushing him back after knee trouble by wrapping up a splendid victory.

Newcastle had looked to be cruising to their first ever victory in the Netherlands through goals from Bellamy and Portuguese winger Hugo Viana.

However Feyenoord’s introduction of journeyman Argentine striker Mariano Lombarda in the second-half changed matters as he scored in the 65th minute to end the Dutch side’s Champions League goal drought after 430 minutes.

Anthony Lurling hit home six minutes later to leave Newcastle reeling.

Manchester United secured their somewhat fortuitous victory through goals from Argentinian Juan Sebastian Veron — who was one of those held repsonsible for the derby humbling — and Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Deportivo, needing a win to be certain of progressing to the second phase along with the group winners, won their clash with Milan thanks to Dutchman Roy Makaay’s superb 69th minute strike.

Milan, who had already booked their place in round two having won four of their previous five first round games, took a first-half lead through Danish international Jon Dahl Tomasson.

But the Spanish visitors clawed their way back when Diego Tristan levelled the scores with a spectacular long-range strike close to the hour mark.

Wednesday’s results: