Croatia Zagreb (h) Champions League Qualifier - 1st leg
Date: Wednesday 13th August 1997, Live on ITV Venue: SJP Conditions: Optimistic |
|
| Newcastle United | 2-1 | Croatia Zagreb |
| Half time: | 1 - 0 | |
| Score Sheet: | ||
(21) Beresford
(75) Beresford |
Cvitanovic (51)
| |
|
Teams |
||
|
Given Watson Pistone Albert Pearce Beresford Lee Batty Asprilla Tomasson Ketsbaia |
Ladic Krznar Maric Juric Mladinic Prosinecki Viduka Simic Saric Cvitanovic Jurcic | |
| Substitutes: | ||
|
(57) Gillespie for Tomasson (68) Howey for Albert |
Tomas for Saric (84) Mujcin for Maric (89) | |
| Subs not used: | ||
|
Beardsley Crawford Pinas Hughes Srnicek |
Ibrahimovic Stefeful Brlenic Svitanovic Petrovic |
|
| Bookings: | ||
| Lee |
Juric Ladic Mladinic | |
| Sendings off: | ||
| None | None | |
| Referee: Vaclav Krondl (Czech Republic) | ||
| Attendance: 34,465
including 536 of the self-styled "Bad Blue Boys", who were accommodated in the
North East Corner. |
||
|
Goals |
21 mins Steve Watson
and Tino Asprilla linked up to set Robert Lee free on the right hand
side of the area. He had the presence of mind to square the ball for
John Beresford to shot into the Leazes goal. 1-0
Half time: Newcastle 1 Zagreb 0
51 mins Silvio Maric surged through midfield and skipped two
weak challenges before laying off a pass Igor Cvitanovic to tuck his
shot under the advancing Shay Given from about 14 yards out.
1-1
75 mins A speculative cross from
the Newcastle left was challenged for by Beresford but reached by his
marker. The ball dropped towards the Zagreb goal and found Asprilla with
his back to goal. His flicked header took it over a defender and he
turned swiftly to meet the ball as it dropped, clattering into
goalkeeper Ladic.
As the ball broke free, John Beresford scooped it over the prone
Ladic and into the Gallowgate End net from close range. 2-1
Full time: Newcastle 2 Zagreb 1
|
We Said |
Kenny Dalglish said:
"It's going to be a very difficult
task over there, even with a goal advantage. We're not there yet; this
tie just gives us the opportunity to get there.
"Tino (Asprilla) probably worked harder than he did on Saturday
but he will not get the credit for it because he didn't get the goals as
he did on Saturday. He was up against very good markers in the Zagreb
side but he kept going and always look as if he might just provide a
spark."
Speaking about John Beresford:
"I thought he was going to get greedy, he got a taste for it and he went
looking for his hat-trick - and I thought we was going to get one.
"His first goal came as a result of a very fine move, but he had to be
there to finish it off. Maybe he can be faulted a little at times for
his distribution but he gives everything he's got for the team and he
got his reward. You can't ask for more from an individual player."
Asked if the winning goal was fortunate:
"That's a very nice phrase."
Bez added:
"At least it will make it harder for the gaffer to drop me!
"But seriously, we are a little disappointed we've given an away goal to
them. But the main thing is we got a win and now have something to hold
onto.
"We know how difficult it is going to be over there; I think they are a
team who come very strong at home. We need to do a professional job.
"To score twice for me was great for me. I can get the family to pick
the papers up and I will be featuring in the headlines for a change."
|
They Said |
Marijan Vlak said:
"Everyone in the ground saw what happened for their second goal, but
overall I am happy we got an away goal and I am very confident that we
can win through to the League stage."
|
Stats |
John Beresford doubled his competitive Magpie goal tally, having previously found the net against Barnsley at SJP in 1993 (old Division One) and Manchester City at SJP in 1995 (FA Cup).
|
Waffle |
Guardian match report:
John Beresford, who had not scored for a season and a half, struck twice
last night to give Newcastle an evens chance of progressing to the
Champions' League proper.
However, it will take a polished performance in Zagreb in a fortnight
because the Croatian champions showed they are a more than useful side.
A thunderstorm an hour before kick-off had made the surface greasy, but
the Croats settled quickly. Fortunately for Newcastle the visitors were
forward in insufficient numbers to capitalise.
Newcastle began creating half-chances themselves, with Beresford getting a glance to a Steve Watson cross and Temuri Ketsbaia almost profiting from a darting run similar to Viduka's. By the 21st minute, the home side scored.
A superb, clever goal it was, too, with Faustino Asprilla at its creative centre. Collecting Watson's short pass on the edge of the Zagreb area, he swivelled and feinted before slipping the ball between two blue shirts to Robert Lee. In on the goalkeeper, it seemed as though Lee would shoot, but he squared the ball to the left wing-back Beresford, who slid it home from five yards.
The Croat management must have wondered how their players would react, but they showed calm. With Prosinecki again dictating the play, Zagreb equalised in the 52nd minute. It was another fine, slick move with the Croatian wonder boy Maric, who has been promised already to Juventus, delivering the killer pass which Cvitanovic finished.
A typical clenched-fist gesture from David Batty, having a grand game, reawakened the home fans' enthusiasm. Then, with 15 minutes left, Asprilla jumped with goalkeeper Drazen Ladic for a cross, the ball spilled loose and Beresford tapped in his second.