Newcastle/Kiev scoreless at break

Newcastle 0, Dynamo Kiev 0 (half-time)

Shola Ameobi went within inches if giving Newcastle a precious half-time lead over Dynamo Kiev as Bobby Robson’s side maintained their unlikely bid for Champions League survival.

The England under-21 international sent a 24th-minute shot agonisingly wide two minutes after seeing a goal-bound header blocked by defender Goran Gavrancic, while substitute Nikos Dabizas had a diving header saved by keeper Vitalii Reva.

The Frenchman found Ameobi at the far post two minutes later, only for the striker to again power his header into the combative Gavrancic.

The England under-21 forward went within inches of the opening goal with 24 minutes gone when, after robbing Georgi Peev inside his own half, he fed Robert and then made ground to receive Solano’s pass, but slid his shot agonisingly wide of the post with keeper Vitalii Reva beaten.

Robson was forced into a reshuffle three minutes later when Bramble limped off to be replaced by Dabizas, and the Greek international joined his side as their momentum increased.

Perhaps inspired by the recent heroics of fellow full-back Andy Griffin, Hughes set off on a driving run a minute later after being put through by Robert, but his attempt from 25 yards was well off target.

Reva was tested for the first time 12 minutes before the break after Jerko Leko was harshly penalised for a trip on Robert.

The former Paris St Germain winger sent a curling free-kick to the far post where Dabizas got in a diving header, but saw the keeper claim the ball at the second attempt.

However, Shatskikh reminded Harper that he had to remain on his toes when he flashed a 36th-minute header wide from an El Kaddouri cross.

United stepped up a gear as half-time approached, but the Kiev defence, ably marshalled by Tiberiu Ghioane, the man head-butted by Craig Bellamy in the Ukraine, held firm.