Newcastle 1-0 Sporting Lisbon

More photos from St James' Park Newcastle reaction

Alan Shearer gave Newcastle a precious lead to take to Portugal for the second leg of their Uefa Cup quarter-final.

Shearer met Laurent Robert's free-kick to plant home a powerful header.

Robert also hit the post direct from a corner, although Sporting dominated possession and went close themselves through Liedson and Joao Moutinho.

Lee Bowyer received a standing ovation when he replaced Kieron Dyer on the hour mark - five days after the pair were sent off for fighting each other.

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness kept faith with Dyer after his brawl with Bowyer during Saturday's defeat by Aston Villa.

But Bowyer had to settle for starting on the bench, with Amdy Faye replacing him in midfield.

The Magpies made a bright start but their early momentum was halted by a lengthy delay while Sporting keeper Ricardo had a head injury treated.

We would've all liked two goals but Sporting are arguably the best team left and we beat them without conceding From Robert Have your say on 606

Shola Ameobi tested Ricardo with a curling shot soon after the game restarted, while Lisbon's only early effort was a long-range effort from Liedson that Shay Given pushed away.

Sporting began to settle down as the half wore on, and produced some incisive passing that the home side could not match.

But a unfamiliar Newcastle central defensive pairing of Steven Taylor and Andy O'Brien - playing in the absence of Titus Bramble and Jean-Alain Boumsong - remained relatively untroubled.

At the other end an inswinging Robert corner hit the outside of the post but the visitors also looked comfortable at the back.

However the Portuguese side paid the price for some poor defending when Newcastle took the lead on 37 minutes.

Robert's free-kick on the left found Shearer in acres of space inside the area and his firm header left Ricardo helpless.

That goal provoked a strong response from Sporting, not helped by some poor defending by the home side, and Rui Jorge was unlucky to see his effort fly just wide.

A hip injury meant Given could not continue past the interval, and he was replaced by Steve Harper, who was called into action immediately.

He was relieved to see Carlos Martins' snap-shot fly narrowly wide but he then had to dive acrobatically to push a drive from Moutinho around the post.

One of the loudest cheers of the night came when Bowyer replaced his former sparring partner Dyer on the hour.

The pair shook hands as they passed each other and received a warm reaction from the St James' Park crowd, seemingly showing they were forgiven for last weekend's indiscretion.

It was a night for healing wounds - but a second Newcastle goal would have been just as welcome.

Another Magpies substitute James Milner had a great late chance but blazed over.

Ameobi was also unlucky to be penalised for handball after being gifted the ball in front of goal by Ricardo.

Sporting could not create any clear-cut chances in the closing minutes but they will be a dangerous proposition in next week's return in Lisbon.

Magpies defender Aaron Hughes and Sporting's top scorer Liedson will both miss that game after being booked.

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Newcastle: Given (Harper 45), Carr, Andrew O'Brien, Taylor, Hughes, Dyer (Bowyer 63), Jenas, Faye, Robert (Milner 57), Shearer, Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Elliott, Butt, N'Zogbia, Ambrose.

Booked: Bowyer.

Goals: Shearer 37.

Sporting: Ricardo, Rogerio, Beto, Anderson Polga, Rui Jorge, Rochemback, Carlos Martins (Mota 67), Pedro Barbosa (Tello 82), Joao Moutinho, Liedson, Sa Pinto.
Subs Not Used: Tiago, Niculae, Miguel Garcia, Mario Sergio, Paito.

Booked: Liedson.

Att: 36,753

Ref: Yuri Baskakov (Russia).