Panionios 0-1 Newcastle

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Alan Shearer's late penalty got Newcastle's Uefa Cup group stage off to a winning start against Panionios.

Shearer slammed home the 87th minute spot-kick after substitute Shola Ameobi had been upended by Grigoris Makos.

Newcastle deserved victory from a match they dominated but were guilty of sloppy finishing against a Panionios that offered only stubborn defence.

Jermaine Jenas blasted over from 12 yards in the first half and Ameobi headed wide from six yards.

In a cagey opening it was 10 minutes before Olivier Bernard had the first sight of goal with a sliced attempted cross that almost embarrassed keeper Sorin Colceag.

Jenas then ran at the heart of the Panionios defence and let the ball run for Craig Bellamy, whose shot was blocked by Sasa Zimonjic.

With Mario Breska ploughing a lone furrow up front, Panionios offered little early threat but on 22 minutes the striker's glancing header from Zimonjic's cross brought a fingertip save from Shay Given.

Panagiotis Giannopoulos had scored twice from set pieces in Panionios's win over Udinese and Newcastle almost paid the price for ignoring him as he climbed to plant a header just wide of the target.

Panagiotis Giannopoulos keeps tabs on Alan Shearer

Neat hold-up play by Shearer teed up Jenas, who struck his shot fiercely but straight at Colceag while at the other end Given was forced to hack clear from outside the penalty area as Breska chased a through ball.

The Magpies's best chance fell two minutes before half-time when Colceag's weak punch from a free kick dropped invitingly for Jenas, but after steadying himself the midfielder blazed over from 12 yards.

Shearer climbed to meet Robert's cross at the start of the second half but his header lacked the power to trouble Colceag.

Lets not talk about poor finishing, the attitude of players, arguments with the manager. NUFC won tonight; that's 3 points and still unbeaten under Souness From M Have your say on 606

A Panionios break culminated in a free-kick but Parodi drove his effort straight into the wall.

Elliott challenged Domoraud in the Magpies area but Italian referee Roberto Rosetti correctly ruled that the tackle was a clean one and as Newcastle broke swiftly, Colceag plunged bravely at Bellamy's feet to deny the Welshman.

Colceag was again in action, arching upwards to tip Shearer's looping header over the bar after he had lost his marker at a corner.

Newcastle substitute Shola Ameobi was guilty of a glaring miss 16 minutes from time as he planted a free header wide from six yards out and then Shearer headed straight at the keeper from the same distance.

But with time running out Ameobi turned Grigoris Makos and went down, and although replays suggested there was little contact, Shearer hammered his penalty high to the keeper's right.

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Panionios: Colceag, Dodd, Vlcek, Giannopoulos, Zimonjic (Goundoulakis 69), Parodi (Lagonikakis 75), Makos, Domoraud, Spiropoulos, Breska, Tsiolis.
Subs Not Used: Sotiriou, Meszaros, Exouzidis, Mitrou, Mantzios.

Booked: Zimonjic, Lagonikakis.

Newcastle: Given, Carr, O'Brien, Elliott, Bernard, Milner (Ameobi 67), Jenas, Bowyer, Robert, Bellamy, Shearer.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Ambrose, Hughes, Bramble, Taylor, Brittain.

Booked: Carr, Bowyer.

Goals: Shearer 87 pen.

Att: 8,000.

Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy).