It may not have been partuculary straight forward on the night but Newcastle beat Zulte-Waregem to safely secure their place in the last 16 of the Uefa Cup.

Obafemi Martins scored the second-leg winner after delicately lifting the ball over keeper Sammy Bossut to give the Magpies a healthy 4-1 win on aggregate. Newcastle now meet AZ Alkmaar and must fancy their chances of prgressing to the quarter finals.

Newcaslte had failed to force Bossut to make a serious save prior to the goal and in the first half the Belgian side had threatened but Steven Taylor and Titus Bramble snuffed out the attacks.

However it was a different story at Ewood Park where Blackburn fought out a 0 - 0 draw and therefore lost the tie on aggregate 3 - 2 to German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. In truth Blackburn did little in the first half to worry Bayer apart from an early effort that was deflected wide from Benni McCarthy.

It did improve in the second half and Bayer mainly went on the defensive to protect their 3-2 win at home. Although they did hit the post.

Blackburn manager, Mark Hughes, was particularly disappointed by referee Alberto Mallenco, claiming should should have been tougher on Bayer whose delaying tactics angered the home crowd.

The Blackburn manager was even spoken to by the Spanish official during the game. Hughes said, “There was time-wasting, theatrics and unnecessary stoppages.

“I was disappointed the referee allowed it to happen for so long.”

I I do not think he was using this as an excuse for his team’s exit as he did admit that his team’s poor finishing had more to do with it than the referee’s performance. Hughes said, “The referee isn’t the reason we were beaten over the two legs, we made too many errors.

“We had a couple of gilt-edged chances that we needed to put away and didn’t so that’s it. Now we must push on in the league to qualify again next term.

“It’s not to be our year but we’ve enjoyed this campaign. It has been good for us and for the development of the players.

“We’ve struggled of late because of the injuries we’ve had but we’ll learn from this and be a better team.”

The Soccer Blogger

Spanish club Valencia take a 2 - 2 draw back to the Mestalla in two weeks time and with it the slight advantage over Italy’s Inter Milan following last night’s Champions League game at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (that’s the San Siro to you and me!).

Valencia came from behind twice to score those two vital away goals through Villa Sanchez (64min) and Silva (87). The return leg will be tough for Inter. Valencia are very strong at home, as they showed in their last home game in La Liga when they comfortably beat the reigning Spanish and European Champions Barcelona. The Mestalla will be an intimidating atmosphere and Valencia will be fancying their chances of progressing to the last 8.

In the other Champions League game on Wednesday night, Roma drew with Lyon at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. Houllier’s men failed to score in a Champions League game for the first time this season but will perhaps feel confident of progressing with their home tie still to come. Lyon are many people’s dark horse for the title this season, though I’m not so sure myself. They are a very attractive and attacking team but I think they’ll reach the last 8 but no further. Now, watch them make me eat those words!!

Even though there were no goals at the Olympic Stadium, there was one reason why the game made it into the record books. Though it’s not really a record to be proud of. There were no fewer than 11 yellow cards brandished by English referee Mike Riley. 8 of them were Roma players. Maybe he was just trying to keep warm by waving his arms about a lot! With 11 bookings it’s actually amazing no one got themselves sent off. Maybe Mr. Riley showed a bit of constraint.

Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, claimed after last night’s Champions League game in Porto that this is his “best season so far” in England.

Mourinho’s position at Stamford Bridge has been under scrutiny recently, but the Blues’ draw in Portugal gives them a good chance of making the quarter-finals. However, it has come with quite a price tag with the Chelsea captain John Terry being stretchered off after only seven minutes play against Porto. Terry twisted his right ankle. He had twisted his left ankle the previous night during training and that had to be strapped. However, despite the injuries problems which resulted in Michael Essien having to play the rest of the game at centre back, Chelsea fought back from a goal down to secure a valuable 1-1 draw.

Mourinho added, “We’re second in the league and still in the FA Cup, Carling Cup and the Champions League.

“Considering our injuries and problems, this is my best season here so far.”

Of last night’s game he also said, “Under the circumstances, I am very happy with a draw.

“We lost Terry early on, which would not have been a problem if I had a centre-half on the bench but I didn’t. It meant we had to change the system, personnel, everything.

“Then I had to take Arjen Robben off at half-time and was forced to change it all again. Given all of that, I am happy to score an away goal and not lose.

“As a Portuguese man I am proud that my country has such a good team in Porto - but they’ll know it will be hard to beat us at our place.”

Mourinho also had special praise for his striker Andriy Shevchenko, who scored the Blues’ goal and was a livewire throughout, saying: “I am more than happy with him. Shevechenko seems to be finally finding his feet at Chelsea and looked a constant threat last night, more like the Shevchenko of AC Milan. A fully firing Shevchenko and Drogba partnership is a frightening thought for the remaining teams in Europe.

Mourinho added of Shevchenko, “I am not saying that because of his goal. His work-rate and contribution is getting better and better and I’m delighted with him.”

Chelsea’s next game is the Carling Cup Final on Sunday against Arsenal in Cardiff. That just got a little bit more difficult last night with Terry’s injury. Though I’m sure Henry and co. would never wish harm on a fellow professional, they must have thought that’s one piece of luck that’s gone there way. A player of Terry’s quality would be missed by any team.

The Soccer Blogger

A brilliant tactical performance by both manager a team earned Liverpool a memorable 2 - 1 away win this evening against Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Before tonight, Liverpool were the only English to have beaten Barcelona at the Nou Camp when they won 1 - 0 in the Uefa Cup 31 years ago, in 1976. Welshman John Toshack scored the winner that night.

Liverpool did it again tonight thanks to the two men who have been writing the headlines in the past few days for all the wrong reasons. Both Craig Bellamy and Jon Arne Riise scored the two goals to win the game for Liverpool after going a goal down in 12 minutes to a Deco header. If you’d written it before hand, people would have laughed!

Liverpool started well and in the first 10 minutes looked more than comfortable. However they were caught by Deco’s run from midfield, Riise the main culprit on this occasion and Deco appeared unmarked at the far post to meet an excellent cross and headed the home side ahead.

Liverpool looked shocked and for the next twenty minutes or so it looked likely that Barca would extend their lead. They settled down and started to play more like we know they can. But Liverpool survived that stormy period and their confidence grew as the game headed towards half time. And Liverpool got their reward for holding on and buckling down. Bellamy lost his marker at the far post and had a clear header at goal. It was aimed straight at Victor Valdes in the Barca goal but the keeper contrived to produce an absolute howler. Standing too far back on his line Valdes inexplicably dragged the ball back over the line and out of nothing Liverpool had the equaliser they deserved.

That must have made Benítez’s half time team talk a lot easier, but whatever he said, Liverpool grew in confidence in the second and it was clear that they started to believe that the game was actually there to be won. Barcelona hardly created any chances in the second half and how most of the 95,000 at the Nou Camp must have wished that Samuel Eto’o, who was sitting in the stands watching on, could have been out on the pitch instead. Rijkaard hadn’t even put him on the bench for a last 15 minute push. I bet he wish he had now.

And worse was to come for the Catalan giants when Gerrard produced a marvellous pass through the middle for Kuyt, however he couldn’t control the chance and the ball fell to Bellamy in the box. Coolly the Welshman squared the ball to Riise just inside the 18 yard box, and with his right foot, yes the one he usually just uses to stand on, powered to ball into the roof of the Barca net. Two very precious away goals. Surely Benítez, even in his wildest dreams could not have thought he would come away with that.

I have written previously that I thought Liverpool had a chance against Barcelona, but I was thinking an away goal, not two and win the game as well.

It’s still only half time don’t forget and Barca can’t play as bad again surely. But Anfield will be rocking in two weeks time as they try to produce another one of those memorable European nights. The 2005 Champions could be about to knock out the reigning Champions!

The Soccer Blogger

The Santiago Bernabeu witnessed an excellent game last night as two of Europe’s giants went head to head in the Champions League. Real Madrid beat Bayern Munich 3 - 2. Bayern may have lost the game but Otto Hitzfeld, who has only recently returned to Bayern as head coach, will be more than happy with two away goals, or at least he should be. His opposite number, Fabio Capello, probably won’t be as happy.

It was reported before the game that Capello had actually already submitted his resignation to the real Board but he was on the bench and in charge for the game. But I wonder for how much longer. Real are lying in 4th in La Liga. That’s a position the Madrid side aren’t used to and to make it worse, it’s their arch rivals, Barcelona who not only continue to sit at the top but are the current European Champions. Bayern also lie in 4th position in their league, Bundesliga, again a position they are not used to and which is why Hitzfeld has been brought back to the club.

Despite all the internal rumours and unrest at the Bernabeu at the moment Real did not look like a side in trouble during a pulsating first half which produced four goals, two from Raul, the competitions all time record goal scorer. Lucio, the Bayern defender, had drawn Bayern level at 1 - 1 though before Raul got his second. Ruud van Nistelrooy then scored to appear to make the tie safe and Real were cruising. However Van Bommel, the Dutch international, scored late on for the German side which gives them real hope for the second leg back in Munich.

It’s a difficult one to call. However if Capello is still sat on the Real bench in Munich, should they lose and get knocked out of the Champions League, I don’t think he’ll need to submit a letter of resignation, the Board will be doing it for him.

The Soccer Blogger