NEWCASTLE 3 BARCELONA 2
NEWCASTLE UTD: Given, Barton, Beresford, Batty, Lee, Barnes (Ketsbaia 80), Asprilla, Tomasson (Peacock 76), Gillespie, Watson, Albert.
Subs Not Used: Srnicek, Howey, Rush, Pinas, Hughes.
BARCELONA: Hesp, Figo, Anderson (Dugarry 55), Rivaldo, Barjuan, Amuniki (Ciric 46), Celades, Nadal, Luis Enrique, Reiziger, De La Pena.
Subs Not Used: Busquets, Abelardo, Amor, Pizzi, Garcia.
Att: 35,274
Faustino Asprilla scored a brilliant hat-trick, his first in England, as Newcastle's first taste of European Champions' League football became a fairytale for soon-to-depart chairman Sir John Hall to tell his grandchildren.
But while the Colombian was the hero, the whole side were all truly magnificent - none more so than winger Keith Gillespie.
This was the Northern Ireland international's finest hour as he gave classy defender Sergi a night he will want to quickly forget.
The victory was thoroughly deserved, although Newcastle had to endure a nervy final half-hour during which Luis Enrique chested the ball home from close range and Luis Figo fired a second consolation goal for Barcelona.
Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish had kept secret an injury to Alessandro Pistone with the Italy Under-21 defender only having played against Wimbledon on Saturday after passing a pre-match fitness test on his ankle.
But he had clearly suffered a recurrence of the problem and it meant Dalglish had to field a flat back four with Philippe Albert and Steve Watson both marking the visitors' only out-and-out striker, Sonny Anderson.
Enrique, who played just behind former Monaco striker Anderson, was picked up by returning David Batty.
The England midfielder played in the holding role to bolster a midfield which had looked anything but convincing on Saturday. Batty missed the defeat by the Dons through suspension.
Dalglish decided against bringing back central defender Darren Peacock with France international striker Christophe Dugarry left on the visitors' bench.
Within 32 seconds, Asprilla, on the bench last Saturday after his late arrival back from World Cup duty, broke down the left only to be fouled by Holland international Michael Reiziger and the free kick was wasted.
Denmark international Jon Dahl Tomasson wasted two great opportunities within a six-minute spell. His first chance, in the sixth minute, saw him break clear onto a John Barnes pass only to drive a weak effort into the side-netting when he should at least have tested goalkeeper Ruud Hesp.
Tomasson's second opportunity, after a powerful break down the right by Gillespie, saw him take a ponderous first touch which allowed the Barcelona defence to get back between him and the goal.
Batty was booked in the sixth minute for a late challenge wide on the United left.
The home fans became more and more boisterous as they started to realise the visitors were not playing like worldbeaters.
And in the 21st minute they were in heaven when Asprilla earned a penalty after being up-ended by the visitors' stand-in keeper Hesp.
Tomasson played a superb inch-perfect ball to Asprilla, breaking from left to right in the penalty box. The keeper came out and although he appeared to make little contact, the Colombian went sprawling and all eyes turned to Italian referee Pierluigi Collina, who seemed to take an age to signal the penalty.
After a delay, Asprilla beat the keeper to his right, Hesp - bought by new Barcelona coach Louis van Gaal - getting a hand to the ball but failing to stop it going inside his right-hand post.
Ivan De La Pena was booked for a foul on Robert Lee in the 29th minute before the home support exploded in delight in the 31st minute as Asprilla headed home a magnificent second goal.
Steve Watson played a quick free kick to overlapping Gillespie and after the flying Ulsterman beat his marker Sergi, he produced a great cross which Asprilla joyously headed home unmarked from eight yards.
The South American clearly has a liking for continental matches as this was his eighth goal in two seasons of European competition for the Geordies.
The home side were now in rampant mood with Gillespie outstanding, and produced football to match anything during the Kevin Keegan era. And as they pressed the visitors back, so the Spaniards became more and more rattled.
Newcastle were given a standing ovation after possibly their greatest ever half in European football, with one of those joining in the ovation being West Indies cricketer Richie Richardson.
Van Gaal replaced Amunike with Dragan Ciric at half-time as the visitors strengthened their right flank. Within seconds, Rivaldo tested Shay Given for the first time in the match with a low drive.
But within three minutes, Asprilla completed his memorable hat-trick with the sweetest of headers - and Gillespie was again the architect.
The Northern Ireland winger set off on a 70-yard run which left Sergi floundering. But even more impressive was his devastating right-foot cross, and Asprilla leaped like a salmon to head home a delicious effort into the top corner before his customary celebratory somersault.
Enrique chested home a close-range consolation goal in the 72nd minute after substitute Dugarry had forced a world-class save from Given.
Rivaldo then smashed a 20-yard effort against the United woodwork and Batty headed off the goal-line as the visitors took control.
And when Figo fired home from 20 yards through a number of tired United bodies, the final two minutes became agonising.
But it was all to no avail for Barcelona as one of Tyneside's greatest ever nights got into full swing when the referee sounded the final whistle.
NEXT NEWCASTLE UTD MATCH:
ASTON VILLA v TOON
Saturday September 12th KO 8pm
NEWCASTLE (from): Krul, Harper, Simpson, R. Taylor, Ferguson, Coloccini, S. Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Marveaux, Obertan, Gosling, Guthrie, Smith, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Best, Sammy Ameobi.
Newcastle full-back Davide Santon could be out of action for a month after suffering a cartilage injury which will require minor surgery.The 20-year-old former Inter Milan defender will miss out on a chance to make his senior debut for the club at Aston Villa on Saturday, and utility man Ryan Taylor is likely to continue in what has been a problem position for manager Alan Pardew since Jose Enrique's summer departure for Liverpool.
Hatem Ben Arfa is back in training after his ankle injury but is unlikely to be risked at the weekend, although he could make the squad for Tuesday night's Carling Cup trip to Nottingham Forest, while Haris Vuckic (broken hand), Mehdi Abeid and Mike Williamson (broken arm) remain on the casualty list.
ASTON VILLA (from): Given, Guzan, Hutton, Herd, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, N'Zogbia, Petrov, Bannan, Delph, Petrov, Ireland, Albrighton, Bent, Agbonlahor, Delfouneso.
Aston Villa will be without Emile Heskey and Jermaine Jenas.
Heskey looks set to be out for two to three weeks with a pulled hamstring, while on-loan Tottenham midfielder Jenas also misses out this weekend after suffering a thigh injury in training.
Eric Lichaj is expected to be sidelined for three to four months after undergoing a hip operation. Fellow defender Carlos Cuellar is recovering well from a knee problem but lacks match fitness.
Saturday 17th September 2011
Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal 12:45
Aston Villa v Newcastle United 15:00
Bolton Wanderers v Norwich City 15:00
Everton v Wigan Athletic 15:00
Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion 15:00
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Queens Park Rangers 15:00
Sunday 18th September 2011
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool 13:30
Fulham v Manchester City 15:00
Sunderland v Stoke City 15:00
Manchester United v Chelsea 16:00
MAGPIES IN EUROPE
£9.99 Available From:
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE
M&M News; 140 Northumberland St.
One Stop News; 44 Blackett St.
Blackwell Bookshop; 141 Percy St.
The Back Page; 56 St Andrews St.
CHESTER-LE-STREET
The Bookcase; 131 Front St
NEWCASTLE UNITED 20011/12
PREMIER LEAGUE
QPR 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Marveaux 82), Shola Ameobi (Ba 64).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Guthrie, Lovenkrands.
NEWCASTLE 2 FULHAM 1 (Best 2)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Lovenkrands (Ba 62), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Obertan, Best (Vuckic 78), Vuckic (Smith 85).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Ferguson.
SUNDERLAND 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (R Taylor)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Williamson 85), Barton, Obertan (Gosling 85), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Lovenkrands, Ba, Best, Marveaux.
NEWCASTLE 0 ARSENAL 0
Krul, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Simpson, Barton, Cabaye (Lovenkrands 81), Tiote, Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 73), Ba (Obertan 46).
Subs Not Used: Forster, Williamson, Gosling, Sammy Ameobi.
CARLING CUP
SCUNTHORPE 1 NEWCASTLE 2 AET (R Taylor, Sammy Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson (Steven Taylor 45), Ryan Taylor, Marveaux, Gosling (Vuckic 70), Cabaye, Lovenkrands, Best, Ba (Sammy Ameobi 65).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Abeid, Smith, Ferguson.
PRE-SEASON FIXTURES
NEWCASTLE 0 FIORENTINA 0
(Ab 63 mins)
Krul (Forster 46), Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, Gosling (Ba 46), Cabaye, Vuckic, Jonas (Marveaux 46) Lovenkrands (R Taylor 61), Best (Shola Ameobi 46).Subs: Sammy Ameobi, Ranger, Tavernier, Williamson.
LEEDS UTD 3 NEWCASTLE 2 (S.Taylor, Vuckic)
Forster, Cabaye, Williamson, Barton, Simpson, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Taylor, Tavernier. Subs: Krul, Taylor, Best, Vuckic, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett.
COLUMBUS CREW 0 NEWCASTLE 3 (Ameobi, Coloccini, Vuckic)
Harper; Tavernier, S Taylor, Coloccini (Dummett, 54), Enrique; Gutierrez (Abeid, 85), Tiote (Smith, 62), Gosling, Marveaux (Vuckic, 76); Ameobi (Best, 75), Ba. Subs not used: Forster, Krul.
ORLANDO CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Forster; R Taylor (Enrique, 26), S Taylor, Coloccini, Tavernier; Gosling (Vuckic, 71), Smith (Abeid, 74), Tiote, Gutierrez; Best (Ba, 74), Lovenkrands (Ameobi, 74). Subs not used: Krul, Harper.
SPORTING KANSAS 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Gosling, Coloccini, S Taylor, R Taylor, Marveaux (Tavernier 46), Tiote (Abeid 46), Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Ba (Best 72), Lovenkrands (Smith 46).
DARLINGTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Barton, Sammy Ameobi)
Forster; Simpson (Dummett), S Taylor (Tavernier), Williamson (Henderson), Ferguson (R Taylor); Barton (Abeid), Guthrie (Cabaye, Donaldson), Smith (Gosling), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi); Ben Arfa (Richardson), Best (Ranger). Subs not used: Soderberg, Newton.