Albert Luque earned Newcastle United a 1-1 draw as the Magpies avoided an embarrassing defeat against Lillestrom in the Intertoto Cup this afternoon at St James' Park.
But Newcastle will head for Norway next weekend knowing they face an uphill task to claim a place in the UEFA Cup after this draw.
The rusty-looking Magpies had to come from behind to ensure they face Lillestrom on level terms after Robert Koren's deflected shot gave the visitors a 21st-minute lead.
Luque paid off a little of his £9.5million fee when he curled home an excellent equaliser five minutes after the break to give the home fans among a crowd of 31,059 who had booed their side off at the break something to cheer.
However, the well-drilled Norwegians will present Glenn Roeder's men with an even tougher test on their own pitch with Maltese striker Michael Mifsud a real threat.
Chairman Freddy Shepherd will fly out to Scandinavia knowing he desperately needs to invest in at least one proven striker if his side are to achieve their aims this season after Luque and James Milner struggled to plug the gaps left by the retired Alan Shearer and the injured Michael Owen.
Roeder had little option but to turn to Spanish misfit Luque and youngster Milner with Shola Ameobi, the man who has spent his entire career trying to prove he is the man to replace Shearer, fit enough only to be named among the substitutes after missing several days' training with a hip problem.
It was a game Newcastle knew they had to win if they are to make the most of their hard-earned chance of meaningful European football this season.
Having failed in their two previous attempts to qualify for the UEFA Cup via the lesser competition against French side Troyes and Luque's former club Deportivo la Coruna, they were hoping for a change of fortune.
However, they found themselves on the back foot within 21 minutes as the Norwegians put their superior match fitness to good use.
With the Magpies unable to make the ball stick in attack, where Luque was ineffectual before the break and Milner isolated, they were overrun at times as front two Mifsud and Olivier Occean profited from the probing of left midfielder Koren.
It was Koren's deflected shot that gave his side a deserved half-time lead after Mifsud had combined with Occean to set him up.
Shay Given had already had to dash from his line to keep out the former Kaiserslautern frontman when he fired in a 12th-minute shot which required a far more difficult save.
Mifsud wriggled his way through once again seven minutes later, Celestine Babayaro clearing off the line this time, but the goal when it arrived came as no surprise.
The Magpies belatedly forced their way into the game as Milner and Nolberto Solano made inroads down the right, but apart from a 43rd-minute Emre free-kick, which keeper Heinz Muller tipped away, there was little for the home crowd to shout about.
Emre's frustration got the better of him within two minutes of the restart when he was caught by Occean and reacted angrily, but his mood improved markedly on 50 minutes when his side drew level.
Luque picked up possession just outside the box and skipped past Pal Steffen Andresen and then Anders Rambekk before curling a pinpoint shot past Muller.
He might have added a second within two minutes but could not take Charles N'Zogbia's cross in his stride.
The home side received a warning on 54 minutes when Bjorn Helge Riise, brother of Liverpool's John Arne, sent a dipping shot over, but the momentum was with the Magpies.
Scott Parker needed extensive treatment after being caught late by Occean, who was booked, but as he returned, Newcastle started to increase the pressure.
However, Riise just failed to get his head to Shane Stefanutto's cross on the hour.
Roeder made his move with 25 minutes remaining when he replaced Milner with Ameobi.
Emre failed to test Muller with a 69th-minute effort off his weaker right foot, but he only just failed to get on the end of N'Zogbia's 72nd-minute cross after Babayaro had made good ground down the left.
Muller had to get down smartly to collect Luque's 76th-minute cross after it clipped Andresen and substitute Alan O'Brien fired agonisingly wide the the last kick of the game.
Newcastle will be a week further into their preparations next Saturday, but they will need to be significantly closer to their best if they are to progress.
