Toon v PSV 2003/4

29 July 2010 12:00
Quarter finals of the UEFA Cup back in 2003/4. PSV Eindhoven 1 Newcastle 1 PSV: Waterreus, Bogelund, Colin, Bouma, Lee, Van Bommel, Park, Van der Schaaf (Vogel 66), De Jong (Rommedahl 67), Vennegoor of Hesselink, Kezman. Subs Not Used: Van Dijk, Do Bonfim, Vonlanthen, Addo, Wuytens. Newcastle: Given, Hughes, Bramble, Woodgate, Bernard, Ambrose, Jenas, Speed, Robert, Shearer (Ameobi 90), Bellamy. Subs Not Used: Harper, Elliott, O'Brien, Bridges, Viana, Brittain. Att: 35,000  Jermaine Jenas kept Newcastle's UEFA Cup dreams very much alive with a quarter-final equaliser in Eindhoven. The 21-year-old headed home a Laurent Robert free-kick deep into first-half injury-time with the Dutchmen still protesting at its award to cancel out Mateja Kezman's 15th-minute opener and deny Guus Hiddink's men a first-leg lead. But United were made to scrap all the way by manager Sir Bobby Robson's former club and it took some desperate defending and when defender Wilfred Bouma hit the crossbar, the Magpies were left dreaming of a semi-final clash with either Inter Milan or Marseille. Titus Bramble left the Philips Stadium fearing that he could yet have landed himself in hot water for striking out at midfielder Remco van der Schaaf as the game reached boiling point just before the visitors scored, but even that could not spoil Robson's night as his side produced a dogged performance to head back to Tyneside with the psychological advantage and a precious away goal. Robson had repeatedly warned anyone who cared to listen that his former club would prove his side's sternest opponents yet in the competition, and the wisdom of his words was abundantly clear as PSV started at a sprint and pinned the visitors on to the back foot. Front two Kezman and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink immediately set about the task of pressurising the Magpies' rearguard and with South Korean winger Park Ji-Sung terrorising Olivier Bernard, the omens were not good. Bramble survived an early penalty appeal as the red and white shirts poured forward, and United were engaged in a backs-to-the-wall action from the off. They fought their way through the early skirmishes, but they shot themselves in the foot twice within seconds to hand Kezman the change to stamp his mark on the game. First Jonathan Woodgate mistimed an aerial challenge with Vennegoor of Hesselink and allowed him to flick the ball on for the Serbo-Montenegrin, and then Aaron Hughes failed to find Row Z with his attempted clearance and the path to goal was open. Kezman took the time to settle himself before curling an unstoppable shot past Given from 20 yards and Newcastle were in trouble. Alan Shearer, who was handed some rough treatment by defensive protector van der Schaaf which cost the Dutchman an early booking, and Craig Bellamy had seen little of the ball, and it was 18 minutes before goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus was called upon to make a save when he tipped Gary Speed's long-range effort over. However, as the half wore on, the visitors started to force their way into the game, Shearer volleying high and wide on 27 minutes and then forcing an excellent save from Waterreus with a firm header from Darren Ambrose's 37th-minute cross. French referee Gilles Veissiere became increasingly involved as the half wore on, and the home side were furious on the stroke of half-time when he missed Bramble apparently hitting out at van der Schaaf. But his stock was to fall even further deep into injury time when he penalised van der Schaaf for a trip on Bernard and Jenas rose to head home Robert's free-kick for the equaliser. PSV's reaction was to redouble their efforts after the break as United faced an early barrage. Given and Woodgate had already denied John de Jong and Bouma when the defender powered in a bullet header from a 49th-minute corner which rattled back off the bar with the home fans off their seats. Hiddink's men were bristling with indignation and went close again two minutes later when Given palmed away a de Jong cross and full-back Lee Young-Pyo dragged the rebound wide with a host of silver shirts rushing towards him. The pressure was relentless and Given had to back-pedal hurriedly across his line on 59 minutes as Park's cross veered towards his goal. But as they had done before the break, they started to find their feet and Ambrose created half a yard for himself on 63 minutes and drove a powerful shot into the side-netting. However, Kezman acrobatically thumped a shot from Kasper Bogelund's cross over the bar on 63 minutes, and three minutes later, Hiddink opted for change when he sent on the pacy Dennis Rommedahl and Johann Vogel in place of de Jong and van der Schaaf. Given was forced to block a 76th-minute Kezman shot with his chest as the striker cut in from the left, and it took a fine interception from Woodgate to prevent Vennegoor of Hesselink from reaching Kezman's cross in front of goal nine minutes from time. United might have won it themselves with four minutes remaining when Bellamy broke at pace and squared for Shearer, but his long-range effort was tipped over by Waterreus.  Newcastle 2 PSV Eindhoven 1 (Agg 3-2) Newcastle: Given, Hughes, Woodgate, Bramble (O'Brien 78), Bernard, Ambrose (Ameobi 81), Jenas, Speed, Robert (Viana 90), Shearer, Bellamy. Subs Not Used: Harper, Elliott, Dyer, Bridges. PSV: Waterreus, Bogelund, Colin, Bouma, Lee, De Jong, Vogel (Vonlanthen 75), Van Bommel, Park, Kezman, Rommedahl (Vennegoor of Hesselink 45). Subs Not Used: Van Dijk, Addo, Wuytens, Van der Schaaf, Do Bonfim. Att: 50,083  Newcastle warriors Gary Speed and Alan Shearer teamed up to fire their side into the UEFA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 35 years on an agonisingly tense European night on Tyneside. Shearer headed the Magpies in front with his 26th goal of the season just nine minutes into the second leg of their quarter-final clash with Sir Bobby Robson's former club PSV Eindhoven. But after Mateja Kezman had levelled from the penalty spot seven minutes after the break Speed chose the perfect moment to claim his first of the competition this season with a 66th-minute bullet header to set up a grandstand finish. The Magpies have not made the last four since they won the then Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 - their last major trophy - and they got there at the expense of Guus Hiddink's side, who only missed out on a place in the second group stage of the Champions League on goal difference. Memories of their own premature exit from the biggest European competition at the hands of Partizan Belgrade came flooding back after Kezman had tied the aggregate scores but this time Newcastle had the mettle to fight back and claim a last-four meeting with Marseille, who edged past Inter Milan 2-0 on aggregate. Robson's knowledge of Dutch football in general and PSV in particular meant that there was never any danger his players would under-estimate their opponents and the evidence of the first leg, in which they had to defend like Trojans to secure their 1-1 draw, simply served to reinforce that message. As so often when they have needed it most, it was skipper Shearer who came up with the goods in combination with enigmatic Frenchman Laurent Robert, whose indifferent first-half display was in stark contrast to the quality of his most important contribution. It was his precise corner which allowed the 33-year-old striker to dart to the near post and glance a header past the helpless Ronald Waterreus to give the Magpies a precious 2-1 advantage and lay the foundation for a famous night on Tyneside. Both Aaron Hughes and Titus Bramble might have increased their side's lead within minutes of the opening goal, although the Irishman could not control his diving header and his English counterpart wastefully failed to connect with an inviting Darren Ambrose cross as it reared up off the uneven pitch. However, PSV quickly settled and gradually worked their way pack into the game, holding midfielder Johann Vogel and captain Mark van Bommel in particular toiling in a bid to open up the supply lines to striker Kezman and wide men Dennis Rommedahl and Ji-Sung Park. But even though they enjoyed plenty of possession the Dutch side simply could not break down a rearguard in which Jonathan Woodgate and Bramble were again little short of outstanding. Hiddink replaced the largely ineffectual Rommedahl with striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink at the break and switched Park to the right and his side were level within seven minutes. Ambrose failed to clear an overhit cross to allow Young-Pyo Lee to send the ball back across goal and, as Olivier Bernard attempted to control the ball on his chest, Park nipped in and was sent sprawling over the Frenchman's leg. Spanish referee Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez pointed to the spot to hand Kezman his first shot at goal and the Serbia and Montenegro international did not disappoint the travelling support. Mr Gonzalez turned down appeals for a second penalty five minutes later after van Bommel went down over Bramble's outstretched leg and United were rocking. Bramble might have eased their nerves had he managed to direct Robert's 62nd-minute free-kick under the crossbar rather than over it and the home side were opened up again seconds later to allow Lee to test Given at his near post. But as play switched rapidly from end to end Newcastle got their noses in front once again when Speed rose majestically to power a header from a 66th-minute Robert corner into the net and ease the tension. Nevertheless, the home fans were on the edges of their seats as the visitors launched their final, desperate charge. With just three minutes remaining, Given had to throw himself to his right to keep out Wilfred Bouma's curling free-kick with the home fans collectively holding their breath and then watched as the same man crashed a long-range drive over the crossbar, but that, apart from joyous celebrations on the final whistle, was that.      

Source: FOOTYMAD