Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of tonight's Europa League clash between Newcastle United and Club Brugge at St James' Park.
The Magpies currently sit top of the table with four points from two games. Alan Pardew's side opened their campaign with a 0-0 draw with Maritimo in Portugal, before comfortably seeing off Bordeaux 3-0 at home.
Meanwhile, the Belgian outfit were well beaten when they faced Les Girondins in their opener, losing 4-0 in France. They made up for it in their next game with a 2-0 win away to Maritimo.
You can follow all the action as it unfolds with us below. Please note that kickoff is at 8.05pm.
Good evening! Welcome to our coverage of this Europa League encounter between Newcastle United and Club Brugge.
Newcastle have made nine changes for tonight's game, and here is their lineup...
Harper; Santon, S Taylor, Perch, Ferguson; Tiote, Anita, Bigirimana; Obertan, Cisse, Sammy Ameobi
Subs: Krul, Coloccini, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Campbell, Shola Ameobi, Ba
Subs: Krul, Coloccini, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Campbell, Shola Ameobi, Ba
Jorgacevic; Hogli, Hoefkens, Buysse, Jordi; Refaelov, Jorgensen, Blondel, Odjidja; Lestienne, Bacca
Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe lines up for Brugge tonight. He nearly got a move to Everton on transfer deadline day but the deal could not be completed in time.
Alan Pardew has chosen to rest many of the players that started in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland.
Newcastle boast a perfect record against Belgian opposition, winning all six of their games. However, this is the first time they have played Club Brugge.
Brugge have not found England a happy hunting ground in the past. They are yet to win on these shores, losing eight times and drawing twice.
Maritimo host Bordeaux in tonight's other game in Group D. That kicks off simultaneously. Liverpool are also in action tonight against Anzhi Makhachkala and you can follow that match by clicking here.
The players are on the pitch now. Newcastle are in their lime green kit while Brugge are in traditional blue and black stripes.
Newcastle get the game underway at St James' Park.
SHOT! Lestienne breaks into Newcastle's half and nearly catches Harper out with an early shot, but the veteran keeper gets down to it well.
Newcastle have seen plenty of the ball in the opening stages, but there's little to write home about at the moment.
Obertan beats his man for pace down the right and gets a ball into the box, but he can't find a Newcastle player.
PENALTY CLAIM! Ameobi floats a great ball into the box for Cisse, who goes down as if he's been pushed in the back. The referee wasn't interested, much to Alan Pardew's dismay.
Brugge don't look too bad without the ball, but they already seem to have run out of ideas going forward. It's being pumped long at every opportunity.
CHANCE! Ferguson picks out Cisse with a pinpoint cross but the Senegalese strike planted his header straight at Jorgacevic from point-blank range. Newcastle should be 1-0 up.
SHOT! Anita drags his right-footed effort across Jorgacevic's goal from 25 yards out.
Newcastle are doing all the attacking, but are nearly caught on the break. Bacca is nearly put clear but the linesman flags for offside.
Bordeaux have taken the lead against Maritimo thanks to Yoan Gouffran.
SHOT! Ameobi beats two players on the edge of Brugge's area and gets a shot away, but it trickle wide of Jorgacevic's goal.
Tiote gives the ball away and Lestienne advances into Newcastle's final third. His shot is blocked by Steven Taylor for a corner, which Harper claimed comfortably.
Valentin has equalised for Maritimo against Bordeaux.
HEADER! Cisse gets free of his marker from a corner and gets a header in on goal, but it goes over the bar.
Ferguson looks like he has a dynamite left foot on him. I refuse to call it 'cultured'. He's whipped in a few decent crosses so far.
CHANCE! Anita arrows the ball into Cisse in the box, and he takes it down nicely but slices his left-footed shot high and wide.
SHOT! Lestienne has a pop at goal but it's weak.
SHOT! Cisse fires at goal from inside the box, but Jorgacevic is equal to his effort. It was a good save to his right.
Newcastle 0-0 Club Brugge
It's been a bit quiet so far. A typical Europa League night, one might say.
You can read Sports Mole's Half-Time Report by clicking here.
It's currently goalless between Liverpool and Anzhi Makhachkala at Anfield. You can follow that game live here.
We have some new features on the Sports Mole live commentary. You can now choose the order in which you see live updates in the order that you want. These options can be toyed with above this commentary box.
Shola Ameobi has come on to replace Vurnon Anita.
Brugge kickoff the second half.
GOAL! OBERTAN FIRES NEWCASTLE INTO THE LEAD!
Newcastle broke down field with Sammy Ameobi. He layed the ball out wide to Obertan, who ran straight at goal before blasting across Jorgacevic with his right foot.
Stewart Downing has put Liverpool ahead against Anzhi.
There's some sad news in the world of boxing tonight. It has now been confirmed that Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward has died at age 68. He was the man behind champions and will be sorely missed.
Back to the game and Newcastle are comfortably in control.
CLOSE! Lestienne delivers a dangerous low ball into the box but it's just out of reach of the Brugge frontline.
CHANCE! More good work from Lestienne as he twists and turns inside the box before delivering a peach of a cross for an unmarked Bacca... but the Colombian heads it into the ground and over the crossbar. Newcastle are just slacking off slightly here...
Ameobi wins a free kick just over 20 yards out. Ferguson stands over it.
He'll want to forget that effort, the young Northern Irishman...
SHOT! Ameobi shoots from 30 yards but it's a daisy cutter.
Fabricio Coloccini looks ready to come on for the Magpies.
Sammy Ameobi makes way for the Argentine.
He gets a warm round of applause for a good shift.
Newcastle need another goal to put this game to bed, because you just feel that there's a chance in this for Brugge.
Cabaye is going to get a run out.
Some good work down the left by Santon and Obertan, but the left-back can't pick out a Newcastle player with his cross.
Shane Ferguson is the man making way for Cabaye.
Another promising performance by Ferguson.
Thibaut Van Acker comes on to replace Jonathan Blondel.
We're into the final five minutes at St James' Park.
Lestienne tries to play in Bacca but Coloccini cuts it out.
SHOT! Trickovski cuts in from the left and tries to fire across Harper but Taylor gets a crucial intervention.
There's going to be two minutes of added-on time.
Odjidja launces the ball into the box from a freekick but it goes harmlessly out of play.
Newcastle United 1-0 Club Brugge
Written by
Michael Penkman
Michael Penkman
