Newcastle strengthened their hopes of reaching the first knockout round of the Europa League with a comfortable win over Club Bruges.

Gabriel Obertan scored the only goal of the game in the second half when he fired a fierce angled shot past Bruges keeper Bojan Jorgacevic.

Magpies striker Papiss Cisse twice went close with a header and firm strike that were both well saved.

The result leaves Newcastle three points clear at the top of Group D.

With two teams to progress from four Alan Pardew's side find themselves in a great position.

Stingy Magpies

  • Newcastle are one of only two teams (with Leverkusen) not to have conceded in this season's Europa League group stage so far.

Newcastle hogged much of the possession in the first half although Bruges looked assured on the break and twice came close to punishing defensive lapses.

Senegal striker Cisse, who scored 13 goals in 12 games in the second half of last season but has only managed two this campaign, was at the end of Newcastle's best two chances before the interval.

His first was a header from Shane Ferguson's cross that was palmed down by goalkeeper Jorgacevic, and the second was a snap-shot that the Serb saved with an unconventional swat.

Sammy Ameobi, who has impressed Pardew in training recently, provided a taster of what was to come when he galloped past the Bruges defence on the right before cutting inside and firing a low shot that drifted a foot wide of the near post.

Bruges' most potent outfield player was 20-year-old Belgian Maxime Lestienne.

He tested Magpies keeper Steve Harper with an early stinging strike and then had a shot deflected over the bar after he pickpocketed Cheick Tiote 40 yards from goal.

Newcastle began with three in midfield but reverted to 4-4-2 after the break when Pardew brought on Shola Ameobi.

It was the one-two with his younger brother that led to the Newcastle goal.

Sammy combined with Shola 40 yards from his own goal and then flicked the ball over his head, raced clear of his defender and played a pass right to Obertan.

The former Manchester United winger powered into the area and released a rocket past the Bruges keeper.

The Belgian club, currently top of their premier league, had one good opportunity in the second half when Lior Refaelov turned inside James Perch and drove a low strike that Harper saved at his near post.

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (5)

Newcastle United

  • 37 Harper
  • 03 Santon
  • 14 Perch
  • 27 S Taylor
  • 31 Ferguson (Cabaye - 80' )
  • 08 Anita (Sh Ameobi - 46' )
  • 20 Bigirimana Booked
  • 24 Tiote Booked
  • 25 Obertan
  • 09 Cisse
  • 28 Sa Ameobi (Coloccini - 73' )

Substitutes

  • 01 Krul
  • 02 Coloccini
  • 04 Cabaye
  • 10 Ben Arfa
  • 19 Ba
  • 23 Sh Ameobi
  • 49 Campbell

Club Bruges

  • 39 Jorgacevic
  • 02 Hogli
  • 04 Hoefkens
  • 21 Buysse
  • 22 Figueras Jordi
  • 32 Odjija Ofoe Booked
  • 08 Rafaelov (Trickovski - 55' )
  • 10 Jorgensen
  • 11 Blondel Booked (Van Acker - 83' )
  • 16 Lestienne
  • 70 Bacca

Substitutes

  • 33 Kujovic
  • 28 Vansteenkiste
  • 40 Engels
  • 13 Vazquez
  • 20 Van Acker
  • 09 Vleminckx
  • 17 Trickovski
Ref: Hansson
Att: 33,124

Match Stats

Shots

12 12

On target

4 6

Corners

5 6

Fouls

7 6

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +2:10 Full time

Full Time The referee blows his whistle to end the game.

90:00 +0:47

Vadis Odjija Ofoe fouled by Cheick Tiote, the ref awards a free kick. Vadis Odjija Ofoe restarts play with the free kick.

89:15

Drilled right-footed shot by Ivan Trickovski. Cheick Tiote gets a block in. Short corner taken by Maxime Lestienne from the right by-line.

87:57

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Yohan Cabaye from the left by-line, clearance made by Figueras Jordi.

86:13

Bart Buysse takes a shot. Gael Bigirimana gets a block in. Ivan Trickovski takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post.

85:01

Ivan Trickovski sends in a cross.

82:38

Direct free kick taken by Bart Buysse.

82:38 Substitution

Substitution (Club Brugge) makes a substitution, with Thibaut Van Acker coming on for Jonathan Blondel.

82:38 Booking

Booking Booking for Gael Bigirimana for unsporting behaviour.

82:35

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Blondel by Gael Bigirimana.

81:39

The ball is crossed by Ivan Trickovski, James Perch manages to make a clearance.

80:55

Unfair challenge on Vadis Odjija Ofoe by Gael Bigirimana results in a free kick. Ivan Trickovski takes the free kick.

79:44

Direct free kick taken by Figueras Jordi.

79:44 Substitution

Substitution (Newcastle) makes a substitution, with Yohan Cabaye coming on for Shane Ferguson.

79:44

Shola Ameobi concedes a free kick for a foul on Bart Buysse.

78:15

Unfair challenge on Figueras Jordi by Shola Ameobi results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Bojan Jorgacevic.

75:20

Davide Santon takes the direct free kick.

75:20 Booking

Booking Vadis Odjija Ofoe receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.

75:15

Free kick awarded for a foul by Vadis Odjija Ofoe on Gabriel Obertan.

75:00

The ball is sent over by Maxime Lestienne, Gael Bigirimana makes a clearance.

72:10 Substitution

Substitution Sammy Ameobi goes off and Fabricio Coloccini comes on.

70:07

The ball is delivered by Ivan Trickovski, clearance made by Steven Taylor.

69:16

Foul by Shola Ameobi on Jonathan Blondel, free kick awarded. Jonathan Blondel restarts play with the free kick.

68:36

Effort from outside the area by Shola Ameobi goes wide right of the goal.

66:39

Carl Hoefkens gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shola Ameobi. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Shane Ferguson.

64:34

Carlos Bacca produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the goal.

63:26

Shot from 35 yards by Shola Ameobi missed to the left of goal.

62:42

Carlos Bacca is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Steve Harper.

62:42

Carlos Bacca produces a header from inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.

61:29

Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Shane Ferguson, save by Bojan Jorgacevic.

61:11

Centre by Maxime Lestienne, Steve Harper makes a save.

59:27 Booking

Booking Cheick Tiote shown a yellow card.

59:04

Carlos Bacca takes a shot. Steve Harper makes a comfortable save.

58:14

Ivan Trickovski produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide left of the target.

56:43

Vadis Odjija Ofoe takes a shot from a long way out which goes wide of the right-hand post.

55:33

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jesper Jorgensen by Gael Bigirimana. Carl Hoefkens takes the free kick.

54:31 Substitution

Substitution Ivan Trickovski comes on in place of Lior Rafaelov.

52:00

Lior Rafaelov takes a shot. Save made by Steve Harper. Lior Rafaelov takes the outswinging corner, Davide Santon manages to make a clearance.

51:31

Shola Ameobi delivers the ball, save by Bojan Jorgacevic.

51:02

The ball is crossed by Sammy Ameobi, Bojan Jorgacevic makes a save.

48:10 Booking

Booking Jonathan Blondel goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.

47:48

Sammy Ameobi provided the assist for the goal.

47:48 Goal scored

Goal - Gabriel Obertan - Newcastle 1 - 0 Club Bruges Gabriel Obertan grabs a goal from the edge of the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Newcastle 1-0 Club Brugge.

45:29

Corner taken by Gael Bigirimana from the left by-line played to the near post, Jonathan Blondel manages to make a clearance.

45:01

The referee gets the second half started.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution Vurnon Anita leaves the field to be replaced by Shola Ameobi.

45:00 +1:24 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to end the first period.

45:00 +0:23

Bart Buysse gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Sammy Ameobi. Free kick crossed left-footed by Shane Ferguson, Bojan Jorgacevic makes a save.

45:00 +0:08

Papiss Cisse takes a shot. Save by Bojan Jorgacevic.

43:07

Maxime Lestienne produces a left-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the target.

42:31

Effort on goal by Papiss Cisse from outside the box goes harmlessly over the bar.

41:40

Shot by Papiss Cisse from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the goal.

40:07

The ball is delivered by Shane Ferguson, clearance made by Figueras Jordi.

38:23

Corner taken by Shane Ferguson from the left by-line, Header on goal by Papiss Cisse from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.

35:38

The referee blows for offside against Carlos Bacca. Steve Harper takes the free kick.

34:19

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Carlos Bacca from the left by-line, save by Steve Harper.

33:48

Maxime Lestienne takes a shot. Blocked by Steven Taylor.

30:30

Sammy Ameobi has an effort at goal from the edge of the area that misses to the right of the target.

28:33

Corner from left by-line taken by Lior Rafaelov.

27:41

Cheick Tiote sends in a cross, clearance made by Bart Buysse.

25:23

The assistant referee signals for offside against Carlos Bacca. James Perch takes the indirect free kick.

24:00

Free kick awarded for a foul by Figueras Jordi on Sammy Ameobi. Free kick crossed left-footed by Shane Ferguson, Bart Buysse manages to make a clearance.

23:15

The assistant referee flags for offside against Papiss Cisse. Free kick taken by Bojan Jorgacevic.

19:34

Gael Bigirimana has an effort at goal from outside the penalty area missing to the wide left of the goal.

19:34

Cheick Tiote has a shot on goal from outside the box which misses left.

18:38

Unfair challenge on Sammy Ameobi by Jonathan Blondel results in a free kick. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Shane Ferguson from left channel, clearance made by Vadis Odjija Ofoe.

17:24

Corner taken right-footed by Lior Rafaelov from the left by-line, save by Steve Harper.

16:49

Sammy Ameobi takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Bojan Jorgacevic makes a comfortable save.

15:44

Shane Ferguson decides to take the corner short.

15:08

The ball is crossed by Shane Ferguson, Carl Hoefkens gets a block in.

13:57

Papiss Cisse takes a shot. Brilliant save by Bojan Jorgacevic.

9:43

Figueras Jordi is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Steve Harper.

9:19

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Steven Taylor by Carlos Bacca. Steve Harper takes the direct free kick.

8:16

Sammy Ameobi crosses the ball, clearance by Carl Hoefkens.

7:56

Gabriel Obertan crosses the ball.

5:01

Effort on goal by Vadis Odjija Ofoe from long distance goes over the crossbar.

2:12

Maxime Lestienne takes a shot from 18 yards. Save by Steve Harper.

0:00

The referee gets the game started.

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