Group D Newcastle 2 - 0 Dinamo TbilisiGraeme Souness waited 25 years to avenge a European Cup defeat suffered in Tbilisi during his Liverpool days but when retribution was finally exerted last night it must have felt oddly anti-climactic.
Debilitated by the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Dinamo's class of 2004 proved pale imitations of their all-conquering predecessors, leaving Souness's half-paced Newcastle to huff and puff their way to an ultimately straightforward UEFA Cup win.
An Alan Shearer shot and a Craig Bellamy volley proved decisive on a night when both the Welshman and a particularly profligate Patrick Kluivert could have had a hat-trick apiece.
Largely propelled by Laurent Robert's left-wing forays Souness's team - who travel to Sochaux of France at the end of this month - remain on course to reach the knock-out stages.
Their midfield quintet might have looked frail and their defence flawed but Dinamo proved unexpectedly resilient. Perhaps it was something to do with the Georgians' extra man in midfield or maybe Newcastle's concentration had wavered but much of the first half unravelled in a manner which refused to conform to Souness's game plan. Instead of the intended Newcastle goal-fest Robert shot wastefully wide and Lee Bowyer was dispossessed by Lasha Salukvadze as he shaped to shoot.
Shay Given proved the busier goalkeeper, doing well to tip a rising shot from Levan Melkadze over his bar and away for a corner after Dinamo's lone striker had been cued up by the influential Kakhaber Aladashvili.
Indeed earlier Andy O'Brien had been forced to hook the ball off the line from Aladashvili after a poor header from Aaron Hughes.
Guilty of some slapdash passing, Newcastle managed to raise their game towards the end of the first period. This change of pace prefaced Shearer's opener.
Beginning with a Given clearance, his goal climaxed a move featuring a rare header from Robert and an impeccably timed through-pass from Kluivert. All that remained was for Shearer to arrive in the area just in time to power the ball beyond Zurab Mamaladze.
Although Newcastle continued to monopolise second-half possession Dinamo refused to turn into compliant guests. Having failed to undo them in open play, Newcastle duly required a set-piece to score their second goal.
When Mamaladze met Robert's corner with a desperate punch the ball fell to Georgi Nemsadze but his attempted clearance dropped conveniently for Bellamy to volley home.
Anxious to finish top of the qualifying group, Souness had started with his strongest available XI but he now felt sufficiently confident to liberate Titus Bramble from the bench. Meanwhile Darren Ambrose replaced Bowyer in central midfield and a smiling Shearer made way for James Milner.
The captain's laid-back reaction was intriguing as, until Souness's arrival, he has always been ultra resistant to the idea of being withdrawn from any game at any time. Perhaps Newcastle's new manager has finally converted Shearer to the merits of some appearance rationing.
NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-4-2): Given; Hughes, O'Brien, Elliott (Bramble, 69), Bernard; Bellamy, Bowyer (Ambrose, 64), Jenas, Robert; Shearer (Milner, 73), Kluivert. Subs not used: Harper, Ameobi, Taylor, Brittain.
DINAMO TBILISI (4-5-1): Mamaladze; Kashia (Silagadze, 61), Salukvadze, Shashiashvili, Kvirkvelia; Aladashvili (Akhalaia, 62), Kankava, Nemsadze, Kandelaki, Kakaladze; Melkadze (Gancharov, 80). Subs not used: Zoidze, Dvali, Makharadze, Gigauri. Booked: Shashiashvili, Kankava.
Referee: E Berntsen (Norway).
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