Newcastle United's mini revival under Bobby Robson continues. Of the five games in 19 days since Robson succeeded Ruud Gullit, Newcastle have won two, drawn one and the two defeats have been by single-goal margins at Chelsea and Leeds.
Further encouragement has come from the fact that in this period Alan Shearer has now scored eight goals. Last night he added another and when combined with the one from the substitute Paul Robbinson in the 89th minute, they that ensured Newcastle's passage into today's second-round draw in Geneva was as straightforward as it possibly could have been. Genadi Simeonov goal with the last kick of the game was irrelevant.
Yet Newcastle had gone behind to Ivan Litera's goal in the 29th minute, but Shearer was not long in restoring parity and the two-goal advantage from the first leg.
For all his complaints about lack of resources Robson was able to name a starting line-up of genuine strength. Robert Lee recovered from the calf strain after missing the game at Leeds while Silvio Maric, was given a first chance by Robson.
Without their star player Milen Petkov they nevertheless created the first two worthwhile openings, Steve Harper saving from Georgi Kiosev and then Vesselin Velikov heading wide having risen above his marker.
It took Newcastle 20 minutes to create anything of equal threat and when they did the under-confident Maric sliced it wide. Just under 10 minutes later Gary Speed did volley home but the effort was disallowed for offside and, with Newcastle still complaining, CSKA promptly went upfield and scored with a goal of stunning simplicity.
A couple of short, swift passes found Litera 30 yards out and his looping drive flew over Harper and into the net. Robson's anger took him off the bench but Newcastle's reply was quick and calming. Only another six minutes elapsed before Speed fed Didier Domi deep inside the CSKA area and from his square centre from the byeline Shearer rammed the ball in on the run from a couple of yards.
Newcastle's flirtation with anxiety and possible failure ended with that goal and they began the second half in comfortable style, Maric blasting wide following a neat set-up by Shearer and Maric redeemed an overall disappointing performance shortly after with a sweet swivel and right-foot shot that cannoned off Nenad Lukic's far post.
Despite still requiring two goals to win the tie, the Bulgarians' ambition did not stretch beyond containment. Harper was a spectator as play flowed all one way towards his opposite number's net and with Newcastle enjoying the plentiful space being afforded Shearer, Lee and Speed all had useful half-chances.
NEWCASTLE UNITED: Harper, Barton, Marcelino, Goma, Domi, Solano, Lee (McClen 90), Dabizas, Speed, Maric (Robinson 71), Shearer (Glass 85). Subs Not Used: Karelse, Charvet, Hughes, Pistone. Booked: Shearer, Speed. Goals: Shearer 36, Robinson 88.
CSKA SOFIA: Lukic, Kremenliev, Velikov, Antonov, Mrkic, Kiosev, Litera (Deyanov 82), Tomash, Bukarev (Hristov 76), D Ivanov (Simeonov 54), Berbatov. Subs Not Used: Kutchoukov, G Ivanov, Paskov, Trentchev. Booked: Kremenliev, Velikov. Goals: Litera 29, Simeonov 90.
Referee: L Huyghe (Belgium).
