Newcastle's progress sealed by Shearer

Newcastle United fly out of Israel this morning having negotiated safe passage in a country where the phrase has connotations way beyond football.

On a day of extensive bloodshed not far south of Tel Aviv, the UEFA Cup was of diminished importance, even to the small miracle that is Bnei Sakhnin, but Newcastle still had a job to do.

They did it professionally, Patrick Kluivert adding to the two goals he scored in the first leg with a ninth-minute opener. Alan Shearer then got the 350th goal of his club career on the way to a hat-trick as Newcastle enforced their superiority against their impoverished hosts, who were as physical as anticipated.

They had their goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro sent off in the 88th minute for a deliberate hand ball outside the penalty area.

That Sakhnin did score will be an embarrassment to Graeme Souness but his new charges are into next Tuesday's draw for the group stage of the redeveloped competition.

Within Israel, particularly within Arab-Israel, the night was all about Sakhnin.

This little club with no money and the most meagre of facilities have come to symbolise Arab-Israeli pride, even if the harmony Sakhnin are supposed to personify by having Arab and Jewish players was undermined by another gruesome day in the Israeli-Palestinian war.

Just a few hours before kick-off that war once again blotted out the significance of football when Israel killed 23 Palestinians near Gaza City, about 70 miles from Tel Aviv.

It has been a bloody week and Souness won a round of applause on Wednesday night from local reporters with his diplomatic yet perceptive responses to the political situation and Sakhnin's relevance to it. Not many think of Souness as someone who would "empathise" with the Palestinian plight, but that was his word.

Souness had finished his remarks by saying that once the game starts: "empathy doesn't come into it" and everyone was surprised to see the strength of the Newcastle team Souness sent out.

Craig Bellamy was probably one of those surprised to see his name on the teamsheet. The Welshman had been carrying an ankle injury but he was present alongside Shearer and Kluivert.

Any anxiety Souness may have had should have been eased by Kluivert's opener shortly after. Exchanging a one-two with Jermaine Jenas, who supplied a lovely back-heel, Kluivert calmly steered in his third goal of the tie and his fifth for the club.

Newcastle relaxed - too much. Four minutes later, Ahmed Kassom seized on a weak header from Andy O'Brien and Aaron Hughes was tardy in closing down Kassom. He then delivered a cross that Alain Masudi converted just as slickly as Kluivert.

Sakhnin then proceeded to offer Newcastle a series of challenges that could only loosely be described as tackles.

Newcastle did well to maintain composure and, after a minor scare caused by Abed Rabbah on the right, Newcastle got two goals in four minutes before half-time to ensure there would be no shock.

Shearer nabbed the first following a surge down the left by Lee Bowyer.

Bowyer's shot was weak but the Sakhnin keeper, Murambadoro, spilled it and Shearer was on hand to profit from the mistake.

Kluivert had provided a nice touch in the build-up and he received the benefit of two from Bellamy and Laurent Robert. Robert's burst from the half-way line ended with Kluivert steering in the third.

Five minutes after the interval Newcastle had a fourth, Jenas having his legs whipped from beneath him by Masudi and Shearer guiding in the resulting penalty-kick.

Shearer is now 21 goals behind Jackie Milburn, Newcastle's record all-time scorer.

The contest was over. Kluivert was withdrawn and Bellamy moved from right midfield to partner Shearer.

A 63rd minute volley from Bellamy was tipped over by Murambadoro but the game drifted until Shearer added his third.

Newcastle will have been grateful for that for it meant they achieved their second aim of leaving Tel Aviv without sustaining serious injury.

BNEI SAKHNIN: Murambadoro; Rabbah (Rodgrigues, 80), Etchi, Danan, Ganayem; Kassom, Khalaila, Eliyahu, Arshid (Edri, h-t); Masudi, Olumide (Abu Salah, 71). Booked: Khalaila, Kassom, Masudi. Sent off: Murambadoro.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Given (Harper, h-t); Carr, Hughes, O'Brien, Bernard; Bellamy, Bowyer, Jenas, Robert (Ambrose, 62); Shearer, Kluivert (Milner, 62). Booked: Hughes, Ambrose.

Referee: JR Santiago (Spain).