NEWCASTLE UTD 1 LILLESTROM 1
NEWCASTLE UTD: Given; Carr, Taylor, Bramble, Babayaro; Solano, Parker, Emre, N'Zogbia; Milner (Ameobi, 65), Luque (O'Brien, 81).
Subs not used: Harper, Faye, Butt, Ramage, Pattison.
LILLESTROM: Muller; Winsnes (Kali, 5), Andresen, Rambekk, Stefanutto; Riise (Wehrman, 68), Mouehli, Sogard, Koren (Strand, 60); Mifsud ·, Occean.
Subs not used: Fredrikson, Myklebust, Kippe, Sundgot.
But as Fat Fred talks about the possibility of making £10m, all the Newcastle fans are concerned about is a crack at a trophy. And, how ironic, but there is no such thing as the InterToto Cup! There IS the competition, but no cup, making it the most bizarre competition in sport.
What was supposed to be a routine path into the UEFA Cup against a side of Santa's Little Helpers, has suddenly become a totally different story.
New captain Scott Parker said before the game: 'You're either right up there or on a massive downer." And after a first 45 minutes of one-sided football - for Lillestrom - the 31,000 crowd was certainly on a downer!
Lillestrom, coached by former Manchester City forward Uwe Rosler, meant business and Newcastle looked like a set of posers who had just stepped off the beach and thought simply turning up would be enough.
Newcastle will have to play 500% better to get that European spot, because this was nothing short of a shambles. For 45 minutes, they chased Norwegian shadows. Lillestrom could have killed off the tie even before Robert Koren's 21st-minute shot deflected off Emre and over Shay Given.
But the goal at least woke Glenn Roeder's side from their slumber and in £9.5million misfit Albert Luque they found an unlikely hero, the Spaniard providing a smart finish five minutes into the second half.
Newcastle ran out with just 17 days' training under their belts, and their lack of match sharpness against a side already a dozen games into their domestic season was evident from the off.
In Maltese striker Michael Mifsud, the visitors had the most dangerous player on the pitch, and with support from partner Olivier Occean and midfielder Robert Koren, they exposed the Magpies' rustiness almost immediately.
Shay Given had already saved twice from Mifsud when Koren's shot looped up off Emre and sailed over the goalkeeper's head and into the net.
The home side were labouring and were booed off at the break, although they returned in more determined fashion and were back on terms almost immediately.
Luque picked up possession outside the box and slipped past first Pal Steffen Andresen and then Anders Rambekk before curling a low shot beyond goalkeeper Heinz Muller.
From that point on, the Magpies looked the more likely winners although they could not find the final touch.