Newcastle United’s dream of a place in the Champions League was snuffed out in a 3-3 draw at Southampton on Wednesday, all but handing qualification to Liverpool.Substitute Leandre Griffit, who had been on the pitch seven minutes, put Southampton 3-2 ahead after a breakaway two minutes from time after the home side had twice trailed. Midfielder Darren Ambrose squeezed in an injury-time equaliser for Newcastle but it was not enough to keep them in contention for fourth spot.The Magpies needed to beat both Southampton and Liverpool in their last premier league match on Saturday to bag England’s fourth and remaining berth in Europe’s premier club competition.Champions Arsenal and second-placed Chelsea have qualified for the Champions League group stage, while Manchester United, who are third, go into the third qualifying round.Sixth-placed Newcastle are now battling with Villa and Bolton Wanderers for a UEFA Cup berth.Newcastle manager Bobby Robson pointed to his team’s disappointing away form and said: “If we’d played like this much of the season away from home we’d be laughing, we’d have been home and dry.”Striker Shola Ameobi put Newcastle ahead in the seventh minute from a cross by left back Olivier Bernard.England’s James Beattie equalised in the 19th when he netted the rebound from close range after goalkeeper Shay Given had parried Swedish midfielder Anders Svensson’s shot.Newcastle went in front again in the 35th when Lee Bowyer met Ameobi’s low cross first time with a crisp left-foot strike that flew past goalkeeper Alan Blayney. Again Saints drew level, this time after only four minutes when central defender Titus Bramble turned a cross into his own net with his knee.Newcastle hit the woodwork twice early in the second half and Blayney made a brilliant diving save from Alan Shearer. “It was a world class save, he had no right to make that save,” exclaimed Robson. (Reuters)
