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Match Report
 
 

High Hopes of Progression
After Respectable Result
In Rome*

Newcastle gave themselves a fighting chance of UEFA Cup progression as they left Rome
with only a single goal deficit after a battling performance. And the Magpies will
consider themselves slightly unfortunate to be behind after seeing Francesco Totti win the
game for Roma with a controversial 50th-minute penalty after Laurent Charvet was
adjudged to have brought down Marco Delvecchio.
Totti later hit the post with the Italians looking to kill the tie off,but injury-ravaged United
would simply not cave in despite having the odds seemingly stacked against them.
It was a brave defensive display from Bobby Robson's side, and although chances were few
and far between for the visitors, the character they showed to cling on will give them plenty
of hope for the return. Their efforts were warmly appreciated by the magnificent travelling
supporters among a crowd of 45,655, who applauded their side off the pitch believing
that their European dreams are far from over.
Newcastle's changes were largely enforced as Spanish defender Marcelino added to their injury
problems at the 11th hour with a thigh problem. Frenchman Charvet, who had not started a game all
season, took the former Mallorca player's place, while Warren Barton
returned from suspension.
Temuri Ketsbaia, who played 80 minutes as a substitute at Watford on Saturday following
a long lay-off with a knee injury, got the nod alongside skipper Alan Shearer, and
midfielder Nolberto Solano returned for Franck Dumas.
Roma made just two changes to the side which beat top-of-the-table Lazio 4-1 on Sunday
with Eusebio Di Francesco and Alessandro Rinaldi replacing Cristiano Zanetti and Amadeo
Mangone.
If Newcastle had gone into the game in some trepidation in the midst of a crippling injury crisis,
they showed few signs of fear as they defended more than competently in the early
stages. Charvet in particular looked comfortable despite making just one appearance
as a substitute all season, while central defensive partners Nicos Dabizas and Barton handled
all that was thrown at them.
In truth, that was not a great deal as 20-year-old Aaron Hughes stuck manfully to the task
of man-marking midfield playmaker Totti. Indeed, it was Newcastle who were the first to
create a genuine chance as Dabizas and Solano played a neat one-two from which
  Vincent Candela was forced to concede a corner by Alan Shearer.
Solano's cross was half-cleared, but the ball fell to Ketsbaia, who drove in a low skidding
effort which keeper Francesco Antoniola saved at the second attempt.
Brazilian defender Zago, who had earlier been fortunate to escape a booking after bringing
Shearer down wide on the right, eventually had his name taken on 25 minutes when he
upended the England skipper from behind. But it was he who almost broke the deadlock
two minutes later when he rose to head Cafu's free-kick just wide of Steve Harper's left post.
Barton produced a timely header 10 minutes before the break after Totti expertly brought
down Aldair's raking pass and crossed towards Marco Delvecchio. The defender was in
action again five minutes later when he blocked Cafu's piledriver, and television replays showed that
the ball had struck his arm as the Roma players converged on French referee
Claude Colombo.
But Roma finally forced the breakthrough within five minutes of the restart when they were
awarded a penalty. Totti's ball over the top allowed Delvecchio to charge into the box,
and when Charvet slid in with a challenge, the referee pointed to the spot.
It was Totti who stepped up to drive his spot-kick low to Harper's right, but although the
keeper got a hand to the ball, he could not keep the ball out of the bottom corner. Solano
tested Antonioli with a well-struck shot from a tight angle two minutes later, but it was
Roma who were causing all the problems, and Harper had to come from his line to keep
out Montella after Dabizas had gifted possession to Totti.
The Roma skipper was starting to pull the strings, and he as unfortunate not to increase his
side's lead on 57 minutes when he let fly from 25 yards but saw his effort come back
off the post. Barton provided the cover once again six minutes later after Cafu's
low cross reached Delvecchio.
Shearer earned his second booking in the competition for a foul on Zago as his side become
increasingly stretched, and Totti saw a 74th-minute effort slide just wide after he cut
inside Hughes on the left.
To their credit, Newcastle pressed forward in the search of an equaliser, and Lee went just wide
with a curling effort 10 minutes from time. There was to be no late equaliser, but United left the
                  pitch satisfied in the knowledge that they are still in with a chance.
 
 

* Try saying that 3 times quickly