Deportivo La Coruna 2: Ruben Castro 11, Andrade 58
Newcastle United 1: Bowyer 48

Final Update: 90mins (8pm kick-off GMT)

United: Given, Carr, Boumsong, Taylor, Babayaro, N'Zogbia, Butt, Bowyer, Faye, Milner (Chopra 72), Shearer  Subs (not used): Harper, Elliott, Ramage, Brittain, Huntington

Deportivo: Molina, Manuel Pablo, Romero, Duscher (Victor 71), Sergio, Tristan (Valeron 56), Munitis, Jorge Andrade, Capdevila, Ruben Castro, Luque (Scaloni 62)  Subs (not used): Gustavo Munua, De Guzman, Juanma, Hector

UNITED were in action at the Estadio Riazor on Wednesday evening to take on Deportivo La Coruna in the Intertoto Cup semi final first leg.

Graeme Souness made one change to the side that beat FK ZTS Dubnica, with Nicky Butt replacing the injured Jermaine Jenas.

That meant United started the game with a 4-5-1 formation, with Alan Shearer in a lone role in attack.

There were around 40 travelling fans in the 34,000 capacity Riazor - and almost as many local police keeping an eye on them!

Boumsong had to concede a corner inside the first three minutes when he poked away Mauel Pablo's low centre with Tristan lurking, but the flag kick came to nothing.

On 10 minutes Milner had to leave the field for treatment to a head wound.

A minute later United fell behind when Munitis had the time and space on the right to send in a low cross for Ruben Castro, and he had the simple task of sidefooting the ball into the bottom corner.

N'Zogbia's free kick was headed away for a corner by Andrade a minute later as Newcastle looked for a quick reply, but Milner's inswinger was gathered easily by Molina.

Tristan then teed up Sergio for a 20 yard drive that flashed wide of Given's right hand upright on 13 minutes, then moments later Munitis sent another low cross in for Ruben Castro but he swung at the chance and made no contact with the ball to let Newcastle off the hook.

Newcastle struggled to cause the hjome side any real problems in the final third as the first period passed the half way stage, with a succession of long balls being dealt with by the Deportivo centre backs.

There was some pushing and shoving on 35 minutes when Given parried a shot from Ruben Castro and the striker was late on the Irishman as he went in for the rebound. Given and Boumsong both remonstrated with the Deportivo player, and when things calmed down Castro was shown a yellow card by the Belgian referee.

Seconds later Carr joined him in the notebook for dissent after holding onto the ball for too long when the Spaniards won a throw in.

Castro headed straight at Given seven minutes before the interval after another right wing cross from Munitis, then Tristan was stopped in his tracks by an offside flag as he tried to latch onto a through ball from Capdevila two minutes later.

Milner took another heavy knock right at the end of the first half, but after having treatment on the touchline he returned to the action.

Munitis saw a long range drive fly just wide on 44 minutes, then Capdevila fired wide in stoppage time as the half ended with Deportivo on top. 

Shearer won a corner off Romero three minutes into the second half, and when Milner swung the ball in it was headed out as far as Bowyer who rifled an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from 15 yards to make it 1-1.

On 51 minutes Taylor was booked for a foul on Munitis 25 yards out just to the right of centre, but the wall did its job to block Luque's shot and stood firm to block the rebound from the same player.

Capdevila was booked on 56 minutes for a trip on N'Zogbia in the centre circle, and before the kick was taken the hosts replaced Tristan with Valeron. 

A foul by Butt on Duscher had the home players surrounding the referee pleading for a yellow card for the Newcastle midfielder, though despite the theatrical rolling from the Deportivo player he was quickly back on his feet and the referee took no action.

A minute later Andrade was allowed to run unchallenged down the inside right channel, and when the space opened up for him he arrowed an accurate drive past Given into the bottom corner.

Ruben Castro wasn't too far away from hitting the target with an acrobatic effort from Pablo's cross on 65 minutes, then seven minutes later newcastle made their first switch when Milner was replaced by Chopra to allow United to go to a 4-4-2 formation.

Given made a fantastic save on 73 minutes when Munitis' effort clipped off Castro, but despite being wrong-footed the Irishman got down to block the shot and Taylor hacked the ball away to safety.

Chopra was close to connecting with a low cross from N'Zogbia on 76 minutes but he couldn't stretch far enough and the ball rolled out for a goal kick.

Taylor was adjudged to have fouled Sergio on 81 minutes even though he looked as though he had got a foot to the ball. The free kick was just two yards from the edge of the box, but again the wall blocked the strike from Capdevila.

Deportivo continued to push in the closing stages and there were a couple of scares in time added on, but United kept them out and despite the defeat the tie is by no means over ahead of the second leg next week.