AT 68 you'd think Bobby Robson's enthusiasm for the game he has graced as player, manager and general ambassador for the sport he loves would be diminishing.

He has seen and done it all - barring that World Cup he so desperately craved to bring back to these shores.

For many his finest hour was a balmy Turin night in 1990 when the clinical professionalism of five German penalty-takers and misses by Pearce and Waddle deprived him of a place in the final against Argentina.

So when he takes on his great adversaries - on the football pitch that is - you can almost see him licking his lips in anticipation.

These are the sort of nights why, 40-plus years after he began his career, he still savours every last minute of the sport he loves.

It may not have been the packed stadium of a decade ago, but his suit was a bit too similar for comfort to the one he sorted in Turin, and he still thrives on the challenge of pitting his wits against Europe's best.

He had done his homework and he warned about the dangers of German international Thomas Hassler. A 40-yard ball into the box in the opening minute, followed by two pinpoint corners, was an early wake-up call to Newcastle's defence.

Not suprisingly, Munich pushed Newcastle on to the back foot in the opening minutes, but the Magpies' pace on the break kept the home side's midfield occupied.

Nolberto Solano provided a good escape route for the back four, but it was on the left flank that Newcastle carved out their first opening on seven minutes when Robbie Eliot played a fine through ball to Shola Ameobi, who laid it off for Wayne Quinn who just couldn't keep possession as he closed in on goal.

With Newcastle now breaking at pace regularly it wasn't long before the breakthrough came for Robson's men.

When Solano picked up the ball in midfield there seemed little danger. But as the hone defence kept backing off, so the little Peruvian just kept going into the right side of the box, drawing goalkeeper Simon Jentzsch before cooling lifting the ball over him into the opposite corner.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of the home crowd as well as the home team and the 300 travelling contingent celebrated wildly.

Newcastle were full of confidence now and in Ameobi possessed a player more than happy to put himself about.

Robson hailed his teenage striking sensation and a summer of training appears to have added more bite to the youngster's game.

His willingness to chase and create chances for others was evident after 20 minutes, when Christian Bassedas and Solano again linked well on the right and the cross to the back post was dinked back in by Ameobi for Gary Speed to head just over.

A minute later and Ameobi again caused havoc in the box, forcing the keeper to drop the ball before the referee decided his efforts were a little too physical.

Munich's main danger was the speed of Austrian Marks Weissenberger down the right, with Solano's attacking prowess appearing to be occasionally at the expense of his defensive duties.

Munich's best chance of the half came when Didier Dheedene and Markus Schroth linked well on the edge of the box but Schroth's quick shot went horribly wide.

Ameobi still wasn't finished and when Solano's cross appeared to be going nowhere he managed to flick it back from close to the byline to the unmarked Speed, whose volley from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection off Erik Mykland and spun just over the bar.

The second period opened at a rather pedestrian pace before exploding in the space of four short minutes.

On 53 minutes a foul in a central position 35 yards out by Dabizas on Schroth appeared to cause no immediate danger.

But up stepped Hassler to curl a magnificent effort towards the top corner which was superbly pushed on to the bar by Given.

The rebound fell invitingly for Mykland but, with Given stranded, his effort again thumped off the bar.

Immediately the ball was played to Craig Bellamy on the left who cut into the box to be unceremoniously brought to earth by former Celtic man Vidar Riseth.

Up stepped Solano and at 2-0 it looked game over.

But two minutes later Hassler found himself with space on the left of the box and his cross to the back post was superbly scissor-kicked home by Aussie Paul Agostino.

Newcastle were punished again in the 66th minute. Michael Weisinger broke on the right and his low cross was swept home by Filip Tapalovic.

Although Munich were keeping the pressure on, Newcastle had the pace to break dangerously and should have regained the lead after 73 minutes.

A stray pass found Solano in space and as the defence backed off the Peruvian realised the onrushing Speed in the box, but with just the keeper to beat he screwed his effort wide.

With tempers starting to fray and the referee appearing to lose control of the game, Shay Given and Samuel Ipoua clashed in the box on 75 minutes and Nikos Dabizas was fortunate to escape punishment for bundling over the Cameroon forward.

But the goal rush was far from over and as Newcastle played pinball with Quinn crossing for Solano to fire back across the goal, Aaron Hughes stooped in to knock the ball home on 82 minutes.

It was the end of the scoring but not the action.

On 90 minutes a clear foul on Bellamy by Riseth as he bore down on goal was somehow ignored by referee Stephane Bre.

And furious Robson laid into the Bre for the late penalty decision that could yet cost Newcastle dearly.

Certainly Bellamy seemed to be checked by a professional foul from Erik Mykland and Robson fumed: "The referee's decision was unbelievable.

"How he can't say that is a red card is beyond me. He also booked Shola for nothing and now I miss him for the return game.

"But I want to concentrate on the way we played and the outstanding performances. The save by Shay from Hassler's free kick was unbelievable - you will struggle to see a better save than that.

"It's still all to play for though and it should be a good return leg.''

Certainly if the first leg is anything to go by, part two next Wednesday should be a cracker.

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