shearer strikes seal newcastle win published: friday 26 march 2004, 0.30cet rcd mallorca 0-3 newcastle united fc (agg: 1-7) newcastle progress with an easy victory in spain.
newcastle united fc rounded off their uefa cup fourth-round tie with an emphatic 3-0 victory away to rcd mallorca and progressed to the quarter-finals thanks to a 7-1 overall success. once again, it was a spate of second-half strikes that did the trick.
shearer scores twice alan shearer scored twice either side of a spectacular goal from craig bellamy, ensuring manager sir bobby robson will face one of his former clubs, psv eindhoven, in the last eight.
sparse crowd a sparse home crowd inside the son moix stadium said everything about the lack of optimism behind their team's chances of wiping out newcastle's three-goal lead from the first leg. mallorca, beset by injuries and suspension and showing eight changes from the eleven who had begun the game in england two weeks ago, battled bravely - at least until shearer's opener at the start of the second half - but it was a forlorn pursuit.
mallorca pressure although jermaine jenas went close in the ninth minute the first period was a story of mallorca dominance. they attacked determinedly but with more fervour than finesse and could not take advantage of the opportunities that came their way.
given saves however arnold bruggink could hardly have done more in the 12th minute after a couple of short passes had opened the way for a shot from the left-hand side of the penalty area. shay given pulled off a flying save to deny him.
shearer strikes if mallorca could not make any impression on the deficit before the interval then the odds on them still having an interest in the tie would surely increase significantly. just to add to their frustration shearer's opportunism saw him put newcastle ahead on the night after a poor clearance from goalkeeper miki garro.
poor perera that goal appeared to take all the fight from mallorca though they should have reduced the arrears in the 57th minute when jesús perera was left staring at an open goal after excellent attacking play from alejandro campano. somehow he contrived to blaze wide.
brilliant bellamy newcastle had started with craig bellamy on the bench because of recent hamstring problems but when he emerged the welshman quickly proved a source of danger to the wilting spanish side's defenders. he almost immediately set up a chance for another substitute hugo viana and then treated the travelling support to a glorious sight as he took control of a clearance just inside his own half and set off at high speed, leaving one pursuer trailing in his wake before cutely placed the ball wide of the goalkeeper.
rout complete the rout was complete a minute from time. again bellamy was involved, inviting olivier bernard into space down the left. his cut-back was well placed and gave shearer an easy opportunity.
