Super Shearer keep Newcastle alive

Inter Milan 2 Newcastle United 2

Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer fired his side to within touching distance of the Champions League quarter-finals before Inter Milan hit back to leave his dream hanging by a thread.

The 32-year-old steered home Craig Bellamy’s 42nd-minute cross as both men put the nightmare of their first encounter with the Italians firmly behind them to give United the advantage.

And after Christian Vieri had levelled with his first goal in this season’s competition two minutes after the break, Shearer struck again to become the club’s leading scorer of all time in Europe.

But defender Ivan Cordoba broke Newcastle hearts with a second equaliser after 61 minutes to give the Italians the better chance of making the last eight.

Newcastle will now have to beat Group A leaders Barcelona at St James’ Park next Wednesday night and hope that Inter fail to win against whipping boys Bayer Leverkusen in Germany if they are to progress despite a brave fight in Italy.

Bobby Robson’s men can be justifiably proud of their efforts against a side which, despite missing several of its biggest names, produced some superb attacking football.

But they will perhaps be kicking themselves for failing to take more of the chances they created and conceding two headed goals after defending so well.

Both Bellamy and Shearer, who picked up bans after the 4-1 defeat by the same opposition at St James’, were booked, the latter harshly, but they and their team-mates left the pitch to warm applause after more than playing their part in a thriller.

An estimated 12,000 Newcastle fans had made what, until Sir Bobby Robson’s arrival at St James’ Park, would have been the chance of a lifetime trip to the San Siro, and although they may have travelled more in hope rather than expectation, they were determined to enjoy their night.

One flag of St George draped over the fence at the end the travelling supporters had been allocated carried the message “Three days of beer and pizza - are we in heaven?”

But they had even more reason to contemplate paradise as Robson’s players kept their side of the bargain.

Titus Bramble had suffered a miserable first trip to the famous stadium with Ipswich Town when Christian Vieri plundered a hat-trick in a 4-1 win for the Italians last season.

But after an early scare in which Emre cashed in on Andy O’Brien’s error before shooting over, the United defence, and Bramble in particular, held firm.

Indeed, it was the visitors who enjoyed the better chances in the opening 45 minutes.

Nolberto Solano could count himself desperately unfortunate to see a fifth-minute volley come back off the crossbar and before Francesco Toldo made a vital save.

Jermaine Jenas, filling the running midfield role in the absence of Kieron Dyer, who failed a late fitness test on a hamstring problem, could not make the most of two glorious openings fashioned by his own industry.

But when it came to the crunch, the two men on whom Newcastle so often depend, did not let them down.

Solano’s intelligent pass allowed Bellamy to surge past the flat-footed Guly three minutes before the break.

When he looked up, Shearer was exactly where he expected him to be to slot past the stranded Toldo from point-blank range.

The roar which went up from the black and white ranks barely subsided during the interval as their belief in fairytales grew a little more.

But if they believed that the job had already been done, they soon discovered otherwise when, just two minutes into the second half, Inter levelled.

Substitute Akinwunmi Martins found Sergio Conceicao down the right and his cross was headed home by the diving Vieri.

But the Nerazzuri celebrations were even more short-lived when, after Toldo failed to claim Robert’s swerving cross two minutes later, Shearer kept his cool to steer home his second of the night.

United found themselves a man down as O’Brien received lengthy treatment for a bloodied nose, but it was seconds after he was eventually replaced by Aaron Hughes that the home side struck again.

Defender Ivan Cordoba found space at the far post to meet Emre’s free-kick with a pinpoint header to make it 2-2, and the battle for the points was back on.

Bellamy was booked for diving as he rounded Toldo, but it was Gary Speed who had a golden opportunity to restore his side’s lead with 11 minutes remaining, only to head straight at the keeper.

Robson replaced Robert and Solano with Hugo Viana and Lomana LuaLua with eight minutes remaining, and although there was no late drama, it was the visiting fans, who responded with the warmer applause on the final whistle.