Northern Ireland international Aaron Hughes was the hero for Newcastle United tonight when he scored their winner in the 3-2 victory over Intertoto Cup opponents 1860 Munich. Bobby Robson's team led 2-0 at one stage but surrendered their lead and a draw looked most likely until the Irishman popped up seven minutes from time to head home a vital goal in this semi-final first leg tie.
Newcastle opened the scoring at the Olympic Stadium after just ten minutes when Nolberto Solano made a blistering run into the box and danced around the challenge of defender Vidar Riseth before lobbing the ball over the advancing Simon Jentsch. This goal seemed to wake up 1860 Munich somewhat but Newcastle maintained their control on the tie in the first half and deserved their half-time advantage.
However, following the break, 1860 looked more focused and purposeful and hit the bar twice within seconds of the re-start. But they must have been wondering what they had to do to take something from this tie when Newcastle went up the other end immediately afterwards and scored their second goal of the evening. A long clearance from Shola Ameobi reached Craig Bellamy but he was brought down inside the area and the resulting spot-kick was converted by Solano.
Less than a minute later, the German side had reduced the deficit. A cross from captain Thomas Hassler on the left was spectacularly fired into the net with an overhead kick from former Bristol City player Paul Agostino. That goal was the encouragement 1860 needed and they began to pile the pressure on the Magpies' defence. It was no surprise when they scored a second just ten minutes later when Filip Topolovic blasted the ball off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net.
However, it was Newcastle who had the last word when a cross from Solano reached 21-year-old Hughes and the Northern Ireland international headed home past Jentsch to give the Magpies the upper-hand ahead of next week's second leg at St James' Park.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa lost their semi-final first leg tie away to French side Stade Rennais but a late goal from Darius Vassell gives them some hope of progressing once they can turn matters around in next week's return leg at Villa Park.
It was a night to forget for the Premiership side when manager John Gregory was forced to leave out new signing Peter Schmeichel from his team after the former Danish international sustained a calf injury in the warm-up. Things got worse when the French team took a deserved lead in the 20th minute. Brazilian Under-23 international Severino Lucas benefitted from some poor marking by the Villa defence to fire his team into the lead.
Gregory's men did well to hold out against unrelenting pressure until late in the second half when Rennes struck again, Substitute Cyril Chapuis latched onto a long ball and fired home to double his team's advantage but Vassell's vital away goal on the stroke of full-time could prove crucial for the Birmingham club when the teams meet again for the second leg next week.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
