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Shearer Caps Walk in Park for Newcastle
In the space of a month Newcastle’s season has gone from imminent and bitter implosion to apparent stability and now soaring expectation. Four days after reaching the FA Cup semi-finals, last night they sealed a place in the Uefa Cup quarter-finals.
Alan Shearer scored twice - his 17th and 18th of the season - and is now only nine goals behind Jackie Milburn’s record of 200 club goals. Progress to the last eight ensures another two games and means there are at least 13 for him to reach and surpass the landmark. Shearer, of course, is insistent that club success matters more and tomorrow’s Uefa draw will reveal if the obstacles are as hazardous as Manchester United should be in Cardiff.
The semi-finals of the Uefa Cup are also drawn tomorrow, so Newcastle will be shown a path to Lisbon and the final in May. Given their momentum - on the occasion of the club’s 100th European game, this was their eighth successive win - they may get to Portugal, though it is most unlikely they will be afforded the sort of passage offered last night by a lifeless Olympiakos.
The Greek side, good enough to accrue 10 points in their Champions League group, were in disarray after Newcastle’s 3-1 win in Athens and, unrecognisable as a force, produced their one and only shot on target in injury-time.
Graeme Souness understandably chose to emphasise Newcastle’s strengths rather than the visitors’ weaknesses, and made the point: "We made a good side look ordinary."
The manager had been concerned that Newcastle might be complacent, but Olympiakos were so poor there was no need to fret. After Kieron Dyer opened the scoring with a clever backheel, it was simply a matter of how many.
Dyer had his most influential match for some time. With Patrick Kluivert and Shola Ameobi injured, he partnered Shearer and did so with a verve reminiscent of a certain Craig Bellamy. "Kieron was outstanding," said Souness. "It is a position he enjoys and, if you ask him, it is favourite position."
英超纽卡斯尔联队在最近的一个月中果然是旧貌换新颜。他们不仅在英超联赛中多有斩获，而且还一路杀进了英足总杯半决赛。同赛季初那支“伤痕累累”、一路跌跌撞撞的球队相比，如今的“喜鹊”在主教练索内斯的率领下可谓是豪气冲天，大有“不鸣则已，一鸣冲天”的气势。
据英国《卫报》3月17日报道，在当地时间16日举行的欧洲联盟杯八分之一决赛次回合比赛上，纽卡斯尔队在圣詹姆斯公园球场，面对远道而来的希腊奥林匹亚科斯队，毫不留情，大开杀戒，以4：0大获全胜，同时以两回合总比分7：1的悬殊比分淘汰对手，胜利进军联盟杯8强。
值得一提的是，主队前锋阿兰·希勒分别在第45和第69分钟为本队打入了第2和第4个入球，这两粒入球同时也是希勒本赛季为纽卡斯尔联队打进的第17粒和第18粒进球。现在希勒离该俱乐部传奇球员米尔伯恩的200粒俱乐部入球纪录仅差9球。不过在希勒看来，球队获胜进入联盟杯8强比什么都重要。他现在最关心的就是在17日举行的欧洲联盟杯四分之一和半决赛的抽签结果。抽签的结果将最后指明要想进军5月葡萄牙里斯本决赛，纽卡斯尔还将面对什么样的对手。或许他们的对手将会和在英足总杯半决赛的对手曼联一样难以对付，也可能会像奥林匹亚科斯队一样毫无生气，但这些都不重要，重要的是那支人见人怕的球队又回来了。
纵观16日的比赛，希腊奥林匹亚科斯队仅有可怜的两次射门，其中只有一次射中球门。看来首回合他们主场1：3败北的结果，令希腊这支昔日咄咄逼人的球队变得有些灰心丧气。但旨在获胜的主队教头索内斯本场比赛依然不敢大意，派出了除“伤停”不能出场的克鲁伊维特和阿梅奥比之外的本队全部主力。在戴耶于18分钟首开纪录后，纽卡斯尔队球员发现，获胜已经不是问题，问题是他们究竟能进对手多少球。对于希腊队的疲软，索内斯赛后还是给足了对方面子。他说：“我们在比赛中让一支不错的球队变得十分的平庸。”谈到自己手下球员的表现，索内斯毫不吝啬地将赞美之词给与了前锋戴耶。他说：“他表现得十分出色，前锋也是他喜 欢的位置，或者说是他最擅长的位置。”由此看来，戴耶已经开始赢得主教练索内斯的赏识，或许他和希勒这对搭档还将继续在今后的比赛中冲锋陷阵，而荷兰人克鲁伊维特只能“安心养伤”。 |
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