45 Minutes Of Pure Magic!

Thursday 8th March 2007
NEWCASTLE UTD 4 AZ ALKMAAR 2

NEWCASTLE UTD: Given, Bramble, Taylor, Carr, Solano, Dyer, Parker,Butt, Duff (Emre 77), Sibierski (Milner 65), Martins.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Luque, N'Zogbia, Huntington, Carroll.

 

AZ ALKMAAR: Waterman, Steinsson, Jaliens, Opdam, De Cler,Jenner (Lens 65), De Zeeuw, Martens (Dembele 59),Boukhari (Luirink 83), Koevermans, Arveladze.
Subs Not Used: Bulters, Cziommer, Donk, Vormer.

 

Att: 28,452

I don't know what sparked up the Newcastle players prior to this match, but whatever it was, it certainly did the job. Was it the jibes from the AZ coach, because he certainly went for the juggular, and I think he upset a lot of players saying Newcastle were "underachieving and not a big club". As if AZ ARE a big club! 

 

There was a determination about the players that only seems to come out in the big games. It was there for the matches against Manchester United and Liverpool, but who would not be motivated in those sort of games?

They set out the blocks at a breathtaking pace and the Dutch side was totally blasted away in a breathtaking 22 minute spell that defied belief. Newcastle United were quite breathtaking!

Glenn Roeder's side took a massive stride towards the UEFA Cup quarter-finals after producing a first-half blitz to leave AZ Alkmaar reeling.

Firstly, AZ are no mugs. They passed the ball superbly and their movement going forward was impressive, but they simply had no answer to Newcastle's attacking flair.

Gretar Steinsson had the final touch to put United ahead with an own-goal, but it was all the Magpies deserved. The AZ defender Steinsson turned Dyer's seventh-minute cross into his own net under pressure from Martins - after Damien Duff's outrageous backheel had caught AZ cold.

It was 2-0 with 20 minutes gone when Antoine Sibierski flicked Nicky Butt's pass into Dyer's path and he calmly lifted the ball over the advancing Waterman.

The home fans were still celebrating when Sibierski gave Martins the chance to run at defender Kew Jaliens, and he danced through the red shirts before blasting a right-footed shot into the bottom corner. This was almost too much to believe for the Toon fans who were almost as shell-shocked as AZ coach van Gal, who kept looking at his watch as though he was ready to order a taxi.

But the Dutch side grabbed a 31st-minute lifeline when former Rangers striker Arveladze headed home a Julian Jenner cross off the underside of the bar. It was difficult to point the finger of blame because the Toon back-line looked in orderly fashion, but it was the perfect cross and Arveladze edged ahead of Taylor to score.

However, Martins was not done and he restored the three-goal advantage within six minutes, swivelling to despatch Nolberto Solano's cross with a superbly-placed shot. A memorable first 45 minutes that brought back memories of van Gal's last visit here with his Barcelona side who were 3-0 down at the break.

But Roeder switched tactics at half-time, looking to hang onto what he had. But that just encouraged AZ to pick up the pace swiftly after the restart and it took a superb challenge by Titus Bramble to deny Koevermans after he raced in on goal with only Given to beat. The ex-Ipswich defender has his moments of madness, but since his return from that long lay-off he has been outstanding, and that tackle was world class.

Roeder replaced Sibierski with James Milner with 25 minutes remaining as the ex-Man City player seemed to get lost in the pace of the game, and Emre came on later for Duff.

It was a different second-half as the visitors grew in confidence as United lost their shape, and they gave themselves fresh hope in controversial circumstances with 17 minutes remaining.

Dembele drove a cross into Steven Taylor's arm and referee Busacca immediately pointed to the spot. It was naive defending from the youngster. Certainly not "hand to ball", but he put out his hands to make himself a big target for the player to get around, but left himself wide open to give away a spot kick.

Shay Given got down well to save the Belgian's spot-kick and Butt prevented the taker converting the rebound - but the ball ricocheted to Koevermans, who blasted AZ a lifeline.

Martins could have wrapped up the tie with eight minutes remaining when he burst in on goal, but shot straight at Waterman, before Scott Parker headed over from Emre's 85th-minute cross.