Magpies enjoy 3-1 lead against Leverkusen

Newcastle lead Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 at half-time in the Champions League Group A at the BayArena tonight.

Shola Ameobi scored twice for the Magpies before Franca pulled one back for the struggling Bundesliga side.

Newcastle's other replacement striker, Tresor Lomana Lua Lua, scored again for Newcastle late in the half.

Half-time: Bayer Leverkusen 1 Newcastle 3

Bayer Leverkusen: Butt, Preuss, Cris, Simak, Basturk, Franca, Balitsch, Ojigwe, Brdaric, Neuville, Kleine. Subs: Starke, Zivkovic, Vranjes, Babic, Kaluzny, Schneider, Callsen-Bracker.

Newcastle: Given, O’Brien, Jenas, Dyer, Speed, Hughes, Bramble, LuaLua, Ameobi, Robert, Bernard. Subs: Harper, Acuna, Griffin, Cort, Kerr, Chopra, Caldwell.