Newcastle do just enough

Newcastle 1 Sporting Lisbon 1: On a night devoid of atmosphere, and when the group-stage idea of the UEFA Cup once again failed to convince, Newcastle United and Sporting Lisbon went through the motions.

Newcastle secured the point they had to get to ensure they finished top of the group. They go into this morning's draw for the last 32 knock-out phase guaranteed a team that ended another group in third place.

That means Newcastle will avoid a tricky game against a Champions League side that came third in the group stage of that competition. The 28,000 here will be grateful for that.

Otherwise they will be questioning their wisdom about attending such an occasion. It was a truly awful second half in particular, during which each team had one shot on target. Thankfully, the first half had been more lively, with Craig Bellamy giving Newcastle an early lead with his 10th goal of the season.

But with Alan Shearer and Patrick Kluivert missing, Graeme Souness could have done without Bellamy hobbling off 10 minutes before the end.

Souness must have been worried by that and by the manner in which Lisbon equalised by a free header from Castro Custodio, though overall this was not a night about which to get excited.

The draw was not enough to give Sporting second place as a late goal gave Sochaux that with victory over Panionios.

Tyneside, and the club itself, appeared more concerned with January than the UEFA Cup yesterday. Souness was forced on to the back foot by the Scottish response to his remarks about the Rangers centre-half Jean-Alain Boumsong.

Boumsong is destined for St James' for a fee that may be as much as £7 million - large considering no other club seems interested - and stories in Italy yesterday suggested that Igor Tudor of Juventus, who can play centre-half or midfield, might be joining him.

The bait for Juventus in this deal, apparently, is not cash but the disaffected left-back Olivier Bernard. Bernard and Newcastle have reached a stand-off over a new contract to the point where Souness said Bernard was "misleading" the Geordie public.

It was something of a surprise, therefore, to see Bernard on last night's team sheet. That was due to Kieron Dyer's absence through injury. Bernard lined up in left midfield. This was an under-strength Newcastle indeed, one that could fill only five of the seven substitute places available.

Bellamy was one of the few first-teamers to start and Newcastle were glad he did when he outjumped Roberto Beto to head Newcastle into a fifth-minute lead. Bellamy's partner, Shola Ameobi, had flicked the ball on and Bellamy's header was too strong for goalkeeper Ricardo.

Bellamy could have followed that with two more in the first half but Ricardo saved a 24th-minute effort after Bellamy ran on to a James Milner pass and Bellamy then failed to get the required direction on a seven-yard header four minutes before half-time.

Lisbon had equalised 60 seconds earlier. Familiar Newcastle defensive weakness was revealed when Fabio Rochemback swung in a free-kick and Castro Custodio rose unchallenged to nod the ball beyond a static Shay Given.

NEWCASTLE: Given, Taylor (O'Brien 78), Bramble, Elliott, Hughes, Milner, Ambrose, Jenas, Bernard, Bellamy (Guy 79), Ameobi. Subs Not Used: Harper, Brittain, Ramage. Booked: Bramble, Ameobi, Hughes. Goals: Bellamy 5.

SPORTING: Ricardo, Beto (Tello 83), Anderson Polga, Enakahire, Paito, Rogerio, Rochemback, Custodio, Tinga, Pinilla (Douala 66), Liedson. Subs Not Used: Tiago, Pedro Barbosa, Sa Pinto, Miguel Garcia, Danny. Booked: Liedson, Beto. Goals: Custodio 40.

Referee: P Allaerts (Belgium).