Stadio Delle Alpe ghosts live on for Robson

Juventus 2 Newcastle 0

Bobby Robson returned to the Stadio Delle Alpi to be haunted by the ghost of the past as he sampled the bitter taste of cruel defeat for the second time in Turin.

Twelve years ago the then England boss saw his side denied a place in the World Cup final in a heart-breaking penalty shoot-out after a tooth-and-nail battle with Germany.

This time it is an Italian aristocrats Juventus who left the 69-year-old wondering what just might have been after his Newcastle bravehearts gave him their all and for much of 90 pulsating minutes, matched their illustrious opponents.

But for two moments of pure quality from superstar Alessandro Del Piero, who despatched a thunderous 66th-minute free-kick pass the helpless Shay Given and then added a second nine minutes from time, United might well have opened their champions league Group E account with a precious point.

Instead, they headed back to Tyneside empty-handed despite the efforts of the team led admirably by the tireless Alan Shearer, who was supported manfully throughout, but by no-one better than Andy Griffin and Jermaine Jenas.

Robson’s much-criticised rearguard held Juve at bay for long periods but the class of the Italian champions was eventually made to tell.

To rub salt into the wound, Greek defender Nikos Dabizas, whose foul on Del Piero led to the opening goal, will miss the return game after being booked.

But the noisy band of travelling supporters headed for home still in good voice after cheering the laudable efforts of their heroes long after the final whistle, but knowing that their adventure is rapidly drawing to a close.

Robson made just one change to the team which started Saturday’s 2-0 win at Birmingham to accommodate Kieron Dyer behind Shearer and bring Jenas into midfield for frontman Lomana LuaLua.

And it was the visitors who started the brighter when Dyer’s cross from the right saw Shearer’s effort blocked by the diving Lilian Thuram.

United keeper Shay Given had his first scare with four minutes gone when striker Marco Di Vaio headed Pavel Nedved’s cross wide, although Laurent Robert almost caught out Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon with a dipping shot from distance.

Shearer squandered a better opportunity three minutes later when he pulled away from Thuram at the far post to meet Nolberto Solano’s deep cross but mishit his volley.

A superb interception by Dabizas denied Di Vaio with 12 minutes gone but the Juve striker’s evening came to an unpleasant end seconds later after he clashed heads with O’Brien and was stretchered to a waiting ambulance at the side of the pitch.

His replacement David Trezeguet then forced a fine fingertip save from Given before ballooning shot over the crossbar after Igor Tudor had flicked on Alessandro Del Piero’s corner.

However, they needed the help of the woodwork with 22 minutes gone when Del Piero picked up the ball wide on the left and cut inside to unleash a swerving 25-yard drive which evaded Given’s athletic dive but cannoned back off the crossbar.

As news emerged that Di Vaio, who had been knocked out, had regained consciousness and been transferred to hospital his side pressed the accelerator once again.

Nedved sliced through the United defence on the half-hour to force a fine save from Given, although an offside flag would have halted his progress anyway, and then Griffin did a superb job of tracking the Czech Republic international into the penalty area to deny him a clear strike.

Dabizas, O’Brien, Hughes and Griffin were defending as if their lives depended on it, but they had a let-off three minutes before the break when Mark Iuliano arrived unmarked at the far post under Del Piero’s free-kick but somehow failed to make contact with Given stranded.

Against the run of play Newcastle were denied the opening goal in first half injury-time when Shearer’s mis-kick from Dyer’s cross fell perfectly for Robert to drive in a shot which Buffon parried at point-blank range.

The home side emerged for the second half long before their opponents as Robson steeled his troops for the onslaught which undoubtedly lay ahead.

But it was only a matter of time before Juve flexed their muscles once again, and they did so to good effect with 52 minutes gone.

Davide Baiocco escaped the attention of Hughes down the right and whipped in a vicious low cross which O’Brien just reached before Trezeguet to turn inches past his own post.

It was a rare mistake from Jenas allowed Edgar Davids to find Nedved wide on the left and his cross was headed firmly into Given’s arms by the ever alert Trezeguet.

However, United found themselves in the firing line again when Dabizas, who will now be suspended for the return fixture, was booked for a foul on Del Piero inches outside the box, and the striker picked himself up to smash an unstoppable 66th minute free-kick into the top corner.

Iuliano became the second player to be booked with 73 minutes gone when he hauled Dyer to the ground as the United midfielder attempted to get his side back into the game.

Robert took charge from the free-kick and almost caught out Buffon with a blistering drive from all of 35 yards, but the ball sailed over the crossbar.

Robson made his last throw of the dice with 11 minutes remaining when he sent on strikers Shola Ameobi and LuaLua in place of Griffin and Jenas, but Del Piero needed just two more minutes to wrap up victory.

Davids crossed from the left and Trezeguet dummied to allow his captain to drill a shot past Given and into the net to kill off Newcastle’s hopes of a late comeback.