Newcastle 2 Bnei Sakhinn 0Patrick Kluivert eased Newcastle towards the group stage of the UEFA Cup in Graeme Souness' first game in charge - but at some cost.
The Dutchman's first-half double paved the way for United to see off Israeli minnows Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin when they head for Tel Aviv in a fortnight's time, but the victory was soured by midfielder Nicky Butt's dismissal just two minutes after coming on as a substitute.
To make matters worse, midfielder Kieron Dyer and defender Aaron Hughes both limped off with injuries to take the gloss off straight-forward victory. Sakhnin skipper Abas Suan, the man with whom Butt clashed to earn his marching orders, was also sent off after being yellow-carded for the second time for his part in the melée.
Portuguese referee Antonio Costa booked another five men - four of them for the Israel side - as the game threatened to descend into farce.
United seemed ready to take the game by storm against the side that finished 10th in the Israeli league last season. But they could not make the pressure tell enough to kill off the tie as Eyal Lachman's side made full use of the chaos after the break to limit the damage and leave themselves a chance in the second leg.
Kluivert opened the scoring with just three minutes gone, firing home a left-footed effort from close range after Lee Bowyer and Dyer had both hindered Sakhnin's efforts to clear a Laurent Robert cross after defender Aziz Rabbah gifted the ball to the Frenchman.
Kluivert did the trick once again four minutes before half-time, meeting a Robert corner with a powerful header that went in off the underside of the crossbar.
United could have extended their lead with the second half barely a minute old after Kluivert turned elegantly away from his marker and fed Dyer, who in turn rolled the ball into Bowyer's path. However, the midfielder did not make a clean contact with his first-time shot and Murambadoro was able to save comfortably.
Butt's dismissal came on the hour when he and Suan. The former Manchester United man was given a straight red card for pushing Suan, who was himself yellow-carded for the second time.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, Elliott, O'Brien, Hughes (Bernard 15), Dyer (Butt 58), Bowyer, Jenas, Robert, Ameobi (Milner 69), Kluivert. Subs Not Used: Harper, Shearer, Bellamy, Ambrose. Sent Off: Butt (60). Booked: Bowyer. Goals: Kluivert 4, 42.
BNEI SACHNIN: Murambadoro, Kasum (Edri 84), Etchi Oben, Danan, Basem Genaiem (Salameh 80), Elyahu, Soan, Hamud (Cleber 54), Rabbah, Masudi, Agoye. Subs Not Used: Hilik, Abu Saleh, Khalaila, Shalaata. Sent Off: Soan (60). Booked: Rabbah, Soan, Basem Genaiem, Danan, Cleber.
Referee: A Almeida Costa (Portugal).
