Drogba's double puts paid to dreams of glory

The Magpies have had one hand on both the Premiership trophy and the FA Cup in recent years but, on each occasion, they faltered with the finishing line in sight.

And, in Marseille last night, they wrote another chapter in their catalogue of near misses by crashing out of the UEFA Cup at the semi-final stage following a 2-0 defeat to the French side.

Marseille striker Didier Drogba was crowned French football's player of the year at EuroDisney last weekend, and the African ensured their would be no fairytale finish to Newcastle's stuttering season by scoring a goal in each half to leave their hopes of UEFA Cup glory in tatters.

A goalless draw in the home leg on Tyneside had left United dreaming of their first European final since Bob Moncur lifted the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup aloft in 1969.

But that dream quickly turned into a nightmare as Newcastle, who had been unbeaten in all of their previous European away games this season, turned in the kind of laboured and listless first-half display characteristic of their Premiership travels this term.

They improved markedly after the break, with Shola Ameobi causing occasional periods of panic in the Marseille defence, but it was all to no avail, with the home side able to complete a remarkable English double for French sides following Monaco's Champions League win over Chelsea on Wednesday night.

St James' Park might be renowned as a hotbed of footballing passion on this side of the Channel but, on a cool and clear night on the south of France, Newcastle's players were forced to suffer in an atmosphere as colourful and cacophonous as any on the continent.

With Jonathan Woodgate, Jermaine Jenas, Kieron Dyer and Craig Bellamy all nursing long-term injuries that are likely to keep them out of the rest of the season, Sir Bobby Robson sprang no selection surprises for the all-important second leg.

The side that started Saturday's soulless 1-0 defeat at Manchester City were given the chance to atone for their second-half surrender, although Robson was able to name Lee Bowyer and Stephen Caldwell amongst his seven substititutes.

Marseille boss Jose Anigo made one change from the side that held Newcastle to a tense goalless draw in the first leg on Tyneside with French international Steve Marlet, on loan from Premiership side Fulham, replacing the unfortunate Laurent Battles.

And it was Marlet, playing in an unorthodox right-wing role, that paved the way for Newcastle's first opening in the tenth minute when he fouled left-back Olivier Bernard.

Laurent Robert fired the long-range free-kick goalwards but, while Fabien Barthez may have dropped a few notable clangers towards the end of his Manchester United career, he wasn't about to grant the visitors any favours as he dealt with the danger comfortably.

Marlet's foul was innocuous enough, and Andy O'Brien didn't appear to be any more malicious when he caught midfielder Camel Meriem two minutes later.

But the centre-half's indiscretion proved costly as Slovakian referee Lubos Michel reached for a yellow card that would have kept the Republic of Ireland international out of the final had United not subsided.

And that subsidence didn't take long to begin. Newcastle were on the attack in the 18th minute when Marseille centre-half Brahim Hemdani hacked clear but, within five seconds of defensive indiscipline, the ball was in the back of the United net.

Hugo Viana, criticised so often this season for his laid-back approach, was all too easily outjumped by Camel Meriem and, with O'Brien and Titus Bramble stranded out of position, Aaron Hughes was left one on one with dangerman Drogba.

The Ivory Coast international turned inside with effortless ease and, with Shay Given committed, he completed the easiest of tasks to stab Marseille ahead.

The home fans greeted the goal by throwing a flare from the stands that caught fire and held up play for more than two minutes, but it was flair of a more orthodox nature that almost led to Marseille doubling their lead shortly before the half-hour mark.

Viana's nightmare night continued as he played a woeful ball straight into the path of Drogba and, with Marlet making the most intelligent of runs between Newcastle's two centre-backs, Given had to race from his goal to thwart the danger.

Robert tried to spark the Magpies into life with another long-range piledriver that fizzed over the crossbar but, with Viana and Speed struggling to exert any kind of influence on the game, Newcastle's first-half attacking was restricted to hopeful balls that Alan Shearer and Ameobi were asked to chase.

Shearer might have scored in England's 2-0 win over Tunisia on his last visit to the Stade Velodrome, but it was his strike partner that finally created United's first meaningful opportunity eight minutes after the break.

With two defenders at his back, Ameobi twisted and turned his way into an opening before firing narrowly over the bar from the edge of the area.

An away goal would have put Newcastle firmly in the driving seat and Shearer almost conjured it from nothing when driving a surprise snapshot straight at Barthez. But, with Marseille refusing to sit on their lead, Marlet nearly put the game beyond doubt with a stinging half-volley that flew inches wide of Given's right-hand post.

Bowyer came on for his first European appearance in a Newcastle shirt midway through the second half and, after Viana's languid showing, the former Leeds midfielder provided some much-needed zest and desire.

He almost made the most dramatic of introductions after being on the pitch for nine minutes, but the ball just wouldn't bounce for him after Ameobi's intelligent cushion header had left Barthez stranded in no-man's land.

That was to be United's last glimpse of glory as, when Bernard conceded an 82nd-minute free-kick close to the touchline, Drogba was left all alone to convert Battles' low cross from the penalty spot.

The striker wheeled away in celebration as Marseille's fans turned their thoughts to Gothenburg at the end of the month.

By then Newcastle will have played crucial Premiership games against Wolves, Southampton and Liverpool. There is still time for one more hard luck story unless they pick themselves up quickly.

Result: Marseille 2 Newcastle United 0.

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