Newcastle 4-0 Olympiakos

Newcastle win 7-1 on aggregate

Newcastle reaction More Newcastle photos

Newcastle eased their way into the Uefa Cup quarter-finals with a comprehensive victory over Olympiakos.

Kieron Dyer produced a cheeky backheeled finish to put the Geordies ahead after just 18 minutes.

A demoralised Olympiakos offered no threat and Nicky Butt crashed a superb drive against the bar before Alan Shearer drove in from close range.

Lee Bowyer hit the third on 54 minutes before Shearer rifled a shot into the roof of the net to seal victory.

However, Newcastle's total supremacy had been betrayed by their early nerves, despite being 3-1 up from the first leg.

After just three minutes, keeper Shay Given was forced out of his area to clear from Nery Alberto Castillo after Andy O'Brien's poor headed back pass.

But it was not a sign of things to come - in fact it proved virtually the only time a half-hearted Greek side posed any sort of goal threat.

Early on, Olympiakos had seemed aware of the need to push forward and adopted a risky strategy of defending high up the pitch.

Inevitably, though, Newcastle tried to exploit any vulnerability to a pass clipped over the top.

Dyer celebrates opening the scoring

It almost worked but Jermaine Jenas and Shearer were denied by the offside flag, while Dyer was outpaced in pursuit of a through ball by the zip of the turf.

An already drained-looking Olympiakos were nearly punished for sloppiness in defence as Butt smashed a powerful drive against the bar.

Then in Newcastle's next attack, Dyer improvised brilliantly, finishing a pinball passage of play which followed Laurent Robert's free-kick, by backheeling his side in front.

Pace was in such short supply in Olympiakos' rearguard that Shearer embarrassed Georgios Anatolakis by overtaking him to reach Jenas' volleyed pass.

But the Geordie number nine was left red-faced after blazing over when he should he have doubled Newcastle's lead.

Shearer went closer with a diving header from Robert's cross, who himself shaved the post with a free-kick minutes later.

Another goal was coming, and on the stroke of half-time, Shearer lashed in Newcastle's second after Dyer had expertly tricked his way to the byeline.

Things quickly got worse after the break for Olympiakos, who clearly wanted to go home as soon as possible.

What a great result and run we are having. Another clean sheet for Shay as well From BS Have your say on 606

Bowyer's looping header was scooped off the line as keeper Antonis Nikopolidis scrambled back.

But when Jenas directed the rebound into Bowyer's path, Nikopolidis allowed the midfielder's shot to squirm under his body and into the net.

With the tie over, it was no surprise that the pace of the game dropped to less than pedestrian.

Fittingly, Shearer was able to almost walk around Nikopolidis before notching his 191st goal for Newcastle.

It was no more than Newcastle deserved from a performance which oozed pace, power and professionalism.

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Newcastle: Given, Carr (Ramage 67), Taylor, Andrew O'Brien, Hughes, Jenas, Bowyer, Butt, Robert (N'Zogbia 58), Dyer (Milner 58), Shearer.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Faye, Ambrose.

Goals: Dyer 18, Shearer 45, Bowyer 54, Shearer 69.

Olympiakos: Nikopolidis, Mavrogenidis, Vallas, Anatolakis, Pantos, Maric, Stoltidis (Taralidis 79), Kafes, Djordjevic (Okkas 60), Giovanni (Filipakos 67), Castillo.
Subs Not Used: Giannou, Schurrer, Kouloucheris, D'Acol.

Booked: Vallas.

Att: 32,163

Ref: Konrad Plautz (Austria).