NIKOS DABIZAS sparked a Champions' League cheating storm yesterday by accusing Juventus superstar Alessandro Del Piero of diving in Newcastle United's 2-0 defeat at the Stadio Delle Alpi.

Defender Dabizas misses the return meeting between the sides at St. James' Park in just under three weeks after being booked for the challenge on Del Piero which gave Juve's inspirational skipper the chance to open the scoring on Tuesday night with a brilliant free-kick.

"He definitely dived,'' complained Dabizas. "I never touched him and he went to ground very easily.

"I think the referee made a bad decision which cost us the game.

"I don't think I made any contact with Del Piero. If I did it was only very slight. I did not pull his shirt or push him.

"The officials admit they made a mistake in disallowing Alan Shearer's goal.

"We have lost a crucial game because of a couple of very bad decisions from the match officials.''

Skipper Shearer saw a headed effort ruled out for offside only three minutes after Del Piero's 65th-minute set-piece speciality.

But Dutch referee Rene Temmink later admitted he had made a mistake in backing the judgement of his assistant, whose flag was raised against Kieron Dyer.

The United midfielder had strayed into an offside position, but wasn't interfering with play.

Shearer said: "We knew we had been harshly treated and I went to see the referee after the game. He shook my hand and apologised and said he had made a big mistake.

"I knew I was right and that they could not give Kieron offside unless the ball had come back off the goalkeeper or the post.

"It took a special goal and a special free-kick from a special player to beat us.

"We felt hard done by from the award of the free-kick, but it was superbly taken.

"I cannot believe that we have no points and no goals from our three Champions' League games after all we have done.

"But finishing third in our group and going into the UEFA Cup is not beyond us and we'll keep fighting.''

Shearer, however, didn't leave Turin completely empty-handed - he came away with Del Piero's shirt as a memento of his visit.

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