Magpies frustrate Frankfurt

[sportbilly]

Newcastle clung on for a 0-0 draw in Eintracht Frankfurt to finish top of Group H.

The Bundesliga side dominated the game throughout and had several chances to win, but the injury-ravaged Magpies frustrated them with a spirited defensive display.

Eintracht Frankfurt started the night bottom of the group and in desperate need of a victory, so it was perhaps not surprising to see the German side show more urgency from the outset.

Newcastle rarely threatened the home side's goal in a scrappy first half, but for the most part they comfortably contained Eintracht.

Eintracht's main tactic was to bombard The Magpies with long balls and crosses, and they carved out their first opportunity after 24 minutes when Albert Streit headed Markus Weissenberger's delivery straight at Shay Given from close range.

Ioannis Amanatidis had a better chance just a minute later as he got on the end of a Streit cross, but this time he crashed his header over the crossbar.

Nolberto Solano became the first of four players to be booked as he conceded a free kick right on the edge of Newcastle's area, but Streit could not take advantage and his weak effort was safely held by Given.

An unmarked Charles N'Zogbia had Newcastle's best chance of the first half when he was picked out at the back post by an Emre free-kick, but he chose to head back across goal and the danger fizzled out.

Emre also came close to breaking the deadlock as he curled a free-kick just past the post on the stroke of half time.

As the second half began Eintracht regained the initiative, but Amanatidis somehow failed to make contact with Nahiro Takahara's cross with the goal gaping in front of him.

Streit then shot wide from ten yards after being released by Weissenberger, while Amanitidis also tested Given with a shot from distance.

Newcastle needed a respite from the pressure and Glenn Roeder turned to Obafemi Martins, the only recognised first-team player on a substitutes' bench packed with youngsters.

The Nigerian almost made an immediate impact when he crossed for Antoine Sibierski, but although his header beat goalkeeper Markus Proll, it was cleared off the line by Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

The game became more stretched in the final 20 minutes as Eintracht committed more men forward, and Emre nearly scored a breakaway goal when his strike was superbly parried by Proll.

Benjamin Kohler headed agonisingly wide for Eintracht, before Takahara chipped over the crossbar after beating the offside trap.

With one last throw of the dice goalkeeper Proll came up for a corner in stoppage time, but Eintracht still could not force a winner and Newcastle held on for the point they needed.

The Toon army can now look forward with hope to the knockout stages of the Uefa Cup next year.

[Beefy]

There form in Europe is good, in the Premiership it's crap. Why?

[lfc junkie]

cuz the premiership is harder?

[COYG]

Finished top of their group and won't meet any of the Champions League failures that move into the UEFA cup. Good work from the Toon