UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE Newcastle Utd 1 Club Burgge 0:GABRIEL OBERTAN'S first goal of the season maintained Newcastle's Europa League challenge as the Ameobi brothers joined forces to see off Club Brugge. Shola, 31, and 20-year-old Sammy combined in breathtaking style three minutes into the second half to set up the Frenchman to secure the narrowest of victories.
It was a far from comfortable evening for a much-changed Newcastle side, although they might have been in control of the game long before their goal had Papiss Cissé managed to convert any of the chances which came his way.
Alan Pardew’s men were made to fight all the way as the Belgian league leaders gave a good account of themselves, with Steve Harper making a fine second-half save to preserve his clean sheet.
But they made it to the final whistle without mishap to take their Group D points tally to seven and leave themselves on the brink of qualification for the last 32.
NEWCASTLE UTD: Harper, Perch, Santon, Steven Taylor, Ferguson (Cabaye 80), Obertan, Tiote, Bigirimana, Anita (Shola Ameobi 46), Sammy Ameobi (Coloccini 73), Cisse. Subs not used: Krul, Ben Arfa, Ba, Campbell. Booked: Tiote,Bigirimana.
CLUB BRUGGE: Jorgacevic, Hogli, Hoefkens, Buysse, Jordi, Odjija Ofoe, Jorgensen, Blondel (Van Acker 83), Rafaelov (Trickovski 55), Bacca, Lestienne. Subs not used: Kujovic, Vleminckx, Vazquez, Vansteenkiste, Engels. Booked: Blondel, Odjija Ofoe.
Referee: Martin Hansson(Sweden).
