"TOONED" Out! Newcastle crash out of Europe

Newcastle 1-2 Deportivo (2-4 agg)
Depor win 4-2 on aggregate


Newcastle crashed out of Europe tonight with a 2-1 home defeat to Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna. The game started positively for the magpies when Milner deflected a Bowyer shot from Faye's cross as they seeked to overcome a 1-2 deficit from the previous game of this Intertoto Cup semi final. Had Newcastle managed to hold onto that advantage it would have sent them through, but Deportivo had other ideas. Newcastle's defense was looking shakey and Jorge Andrade punished them just before halftime. Andrade ghosted between defender Taylor and Shay Given to nip home Depor's equalizer just before halftime.

It left Newcastle with a mountain to climb, and the slope of that mountain got even steeper when Munitis capitalized on a poor back pass by Elliott to slot the ball into an empty net. That left Newcastle needing 3 goals to salvage European football out of a disappointing campaign last season. Although Shearer and Ameobi both went close for the Toon, Depor's progression was never in doubt.

Defeat means that domestic trophies are all Newcastle can compete for this season, and the Toon Amry will have to rethink traveling abroad and spreading their good nature for at least one season.

Newcastle Boss Graeme Souness:

"We had our chances and you can't legislate for the way we gave away the goals.

"I would hate to think that we are going to give any more goals like that away through the season.

"We had got ourselves back into game but that goal killed it for us, but these things can happen and we have got to accept that."



Newcastle: Given, Carr, Elliott, Emre (Brittain 90), Boumsong, Shearer, Bowyer, Faye (Ameobi 53), Milner (N'Zogbia 72), Parker, Taylor.Subs Not Used: Harper, Ramage, Chopra.
Booked: Parker, Shearer, Taylor, Elliott.
Goals: Milner 39.

Deportivo La Coruna: Molina, Manuel Pablo, Andrade, Capdevila, Romero, Duscher, Scaloni, Sergio (Valeron 72), Munitis, Ruben Castro (Juanma 63), Tristan (Luque 55).Subs Not Used: Dani Mallo, Victor, Acuna, De Guzman.
Booked: Tristan, Munitis, Manuel Pablo, Juanma.
Goals: Andrade 45, Munitis 48.

Att: 35,200

Ref: Helmut Fleischer (Germany).

(Team info provided by www.bbc.co.uk/football)