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| February 28, 2003 | Friday | Zul Hijjah 26, 1423 |
Shearer fires Newscastle to victory
PARIS, Feb 27: Alan Shearer’s first hat trick for Newcastle in over three years fired them to a 3-1 win over last season’s bedraggled Champions League finalists Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday and gave the Magpies a real chance of making the last eight.
One of Newcastle manager Bobby Robson’s former clubs, Barcelona, are virtually assured of a place in the last eight after a 0-0 draw away at Inter Milan left them needing just one point from their last two matches.
The draw meant Barca failed to break Ajax’s all-time winning streak in European competition of 11 set in the Cup Winners Cup campaigns of 1986/87 and 87/88.
In what could turn out to be a delicious twist Barcelona’s match in Newcastle could decide whether it is the English side or Inter who progress with them from Group A.
Group B is a far tighter affair after AS Roma roused themselves from their slumber and stunned Valencia 3-0 in Spain - captain Francesco Totti getting two - to inflict their hosts first ever Champions League home defeat.
Ajax’s 0-0 draw at home to Arsenal meant both of them moved up to six points with two matches to play while Valencia - finalists in two of the last three seasons - have five and Roma three.
It was Shearer’s night though as he struck three times in the opening 36 minutes at St James’ Park, two of them headers thanks largely to the terrible defending of Brazilian Cris, who looks a long shot to add to his 11 caps for his country given his last two performances for Leverkusen. Shearer’s third came from the penalty spot.
While his 15th career hat-trick was pleasing, the former England captain was even more delighted to have at last scored a Champions League goal from open play.
“It was a record I wanted to end and it’s great to do it in style even if their defence helped a bit!” said Shearer.
Robson was delighted with the way his side carried out his instructions to try and exploit their opponents’ lack of confidence from the outset, as they had done in Germany last week but he admitted to being worried at certain moments.
“We became a bit complacent at 2-0 and I was worried that we were going to let it slip,” he admitted.
“I wanted to take Alan (Shearer) and Gary (Speed) off with 25 minutes to go but at 3-1 I didn’t know whether we could hold on without their experience,” the 70-year-old added.
Bayer coach Thomas Horster admitted he was at a loss to explain how his defence could have performed so badly.
“We had no defence, all we had was nerves,” he said. “It is hard to take anything positive from a 90-minute game that is over after ten minutes.”
Despite Barcelona’s near certain qualification, their coach Radomir Antic was not a happy man.
“I am not satisfied with the result,” the Serb handler said.
“What was missing? Taking our chances, though I was happy with the way we handled their attack,” added Antic, who has restored Barca’s fortunes in the Spanish league since he replaced Louis van Gaal last month.
His Inter counterpart Hector Cuper, responsible for guiding previous club Valencia to their two Champions League finals, was happy with the result despite the increasing danger of Newcastle in the group.
“We gave everything and showed character in the light of several injuries during the match,” the Argentinian said.
“It still leaves us in charge of our destiny,” he added.
Ajax had the best chance of a disappointing match to take the three points when Cristian Chivu’s freekick was headed off the line by Ashley Cole in the 38th minute - but it left both managers happy, particularly Arsenal’s manager Arsene Wenger.
“We hold all the cards as regards our progress in the competition,” said the Frenchman, whose side host Roma in a fortnight.
Koeman gleaned a far more positive message from the performance of his youthful and hugely talented Ajax side.
“We are the leaders of this group at the moment. If people had said Ajax would be at the top of the group, everybody would have laughed,” said Koeman, whose free kick in 1992 handed his then club Barcelona their only ever European Cup title.
Totti’s goals and one from Brazilian Emerson in a 12-minute period in the first half was enough to hand Roma their first points of the second phase.
Totti, who had missed the 1-0 defeat last week by Valencia, struck in the 24th minute as he headed home - for his first goal in three appearances this campaign - and added a second six minutes later with a right-footed shot from Brazilian World Cup captain Cafu’s cross.
Emerson, who would have been Brazil skipper but for injuring himself prior to the finals, added a third in the 36th minute to leave last week’s goalscorer John Carew regretting his promise to the Valencia fans that the Spaniards would give them ‘something to remember’.
In the end it was Shearer who delivered on that promise.
Collated results:
Group A
At Milan
Inter Milan 0 Barcelona 0
At Newcastle, England
Newcastle United 3 Bayer Leverkusen 1
Group B
At Amsterdam
Ajax 0 Arsenal 0
At Valencia, Spain
Valencia 0 AS Roma 3
—AFP
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