Brilliant failure is the ultimate agony of the professional sportsman but that was what the footballers of Newcastle United suffered last night. They did not even fail in the sense of being beaten, but their enthralling draw here last night means Newcastle's improbable Champions League campaign is surely over.
Newcastle needed to win - or rely on the hopeless Bayer Leverkusen defeating Internazionale next week - and Bobby Robson's team came so close.
Twice Alan Shearer gave Newcastle the lead, equalling Hughie Gallacher's 143-goal tally for the club. But two fine headers, from Christian Vieri and then the Colombian defender Ivan Cordoba just past the hour, means that it is the Italians who should qualify along with Barcelona.
But Newcastle deserve 10 out of 10 for effort on a night when Craig Bellamy showed what might have been in the group had he stayed on the pitch longer than four minutes in the first game at St James' Park in November.
Although Inter had been significantly reduced in status by injuries and suspensions, Newcastle had to deal with some bad news of their own in the hours before kick-off as Kieron Dyer failed a fitness test. Jermaine Jenas was able to fill the hole where Dyer would have been and Nolberto Solano slotted in on the right.
When Solano rattled the Inter crossbar with a thunderous fourth-minute volley the Peruvian's inclusion in Newcastle's side seemed very relevant indeed. That was the Geordie high point of a blistering opening half hour, at the end of which Inter could easily have been 3-2 behind. With Emre performing a Beardsleyesque role behind the gigantic Christian Vieri, Inter began with intent similar to their visitors.
Newcastle's first free-kick demonstrated the evening's philosophy: seven men went up for it. It was cleared, but only to Solano in the D. His instant volley walloped the bar and hit Francesco Toldo on the way back. Sadly for Newcastle the deflection did not take the ball in.
A quite breathless first half then swept from end to end. Toldo made saves from Solano and Jenas, Gary Speed went close. At the other end Shay Given made a block from Fabio Cannavaro. Javier Zanetti shot narrowly wide.
It was relentless. As, of course, is Bellamy. Apparently with nowhere to go out on the right four minutes before half-time, the Welshman showed his trademark perseverance to get to the Inter byline. From there Bellamy delivered the perfect low cross. Two Inter defenders hesitated but Shearer did not. From three yards Shearer bludgeoned the ball in.
Inter's interval response was to put on Akinwunmi Martins, four months after the Nigerian's 18th birthday. Martins's first act was to find Conceicao with a lovely pass. Conceicao sent in an invitation of a cross that Vieri met at full pelt. Given could only watch as the ball sailed into the net.
The San Siro went berserk and yet within three minutes Newcastle were back in the lead. Robert whipped in a cross that tempted Toldo off his line and he spilled the ball. Cannavaro was flustered by this and Shearer saw his chance. He stabbed the ball over the line from six yards.
Newcastle then lost Andy O'Brien, replaced by Aaron Hughes, but the combination of the two might not have stopped Cordoba's header. Cordoba rose like a skyscraper to head in Emre's free-kick. An epic football match was back where it started.
INTER MILAN: Toldo, Cordoba, Javier Zanetti, Emre (Pasquale 77), Sergio Conceicao, Guglielminpietro (Martins 46), Cannavaro, Di Biagio, Okan, Vieri, Coco. Subs Not Used: Fontana, Gamarra, Vivas, Franchini, Napolitano. Booked: Sergio Conceicao, Vieri, Di Biagio. Goals: Vieri 46, Cordoba 60.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Bernard, O'Brien (Hughes 59), Griffin, Bramble, Jenas, Solano (LuaLua 83), Speed, Bellamy, Shearer, Robert (Viana 83). Subs Not Used: Harper, Ameobi, Kerr, Caldwell. Booked: Bramble, Bellamy, Shearer, LuaLua. Goals: Shearer 42, 49.
Referee: L Cortez Batista (Portugal).
