Shearer hat trick inspires Newcastle Utd

Newcastle United's Alan Shearer, left, dives in to head the first goal against Leverkusen during their Champions League match on Wednesday, at St. James' Park, Newcastle. Newcastle won 3-1. PHOTO: AP

Alan Shearer scored three goals in the first 35 minutes for Newcastle, while Inter Milan snapped FC Barcelona's 11-match European winning streak on Wednesday in the Champions League.

Shearer in the fifth, 11th and 35th minutes as Newcastle beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 in the fourth rotation of the second phase. Inter held Barca 0-0 at the San Siro but kept its place at the top of the Group A standings.

Barca set to qualify for the quarterfinals with 10 points, leaving Inter (seven points) and Newcastle (six points) to battle it out for the remaining spot.

``We needed a victory to keep up our hopes of staying in the competition and it was a good night for us,'' Shearer said. ``Who knows? But we certainly will not give it up -- that's for sure.''

Leverkusen last season's runner-up to Real Madrid -- is out of the competition after failing to score a point.

In Group B, Francesco Totti netted twice as AS Roma stunned Valencia 3-0 to give itself a glimmer of hope of reaching the next stage.

Totti in the 24th and 30th minutes, with Brazilian midfielder Emerson adding Roma's third goal in the 36th, as the Italian team gained its first points of the second phase in dramatic fashion.

Ajax drew 0-0 with Arsenal in the other group match.

After four games, Roma remains in last place but now has three points and Valencia stays third with five points. Arsenal and Ajax both have six points.

Coming a 3-0 home win over Roma last week, Barca played cautiously, concentrating on defense rather than on attack. It still had the best first-half scoring chances through Fabio Rochemback and Gabri.

Christian Vieri, the Italian league leading scorer with 21 goals, squandered the best chance for the home team in the 48th, heading a perfect cross from Giovanni Pasquale just wide.

While in almost every Serie A match, Vieri has not scored in European competitions since 2001.

In Newcastle, Shearer's opening goal was a diving header after he collected a Gary Speed chip. It was his first Champions League goal in open play.

In the 11th minute, Shola Ameobi, who scored two goals in Newcastle's 3-0 first leg win in Leverkusen, turned provider for Shearer's second.

Leverkusen a chance to pull a goal back in the 19th minute when Oliver Neuville's penalty was saved by Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given.

But Shearer didn't miss his 35th minute penalty, awarded after Kieron Dyer was pulled back by Leverkusen's Thomas Kleine.

In the 73rd minute, Marko Babic pulled a goal back for Leverkusen, collecting a pass from Yildiray Basturk and chipping the ball on a half-volley over Given.

In Amsterdam, Ajax and Arsenal drew as Ronald Koeman's youngsters again frustrated the English champions.

Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Sylvain Wiltord missed chances for the Gunners, while Arsenal defender Ashley Cole headed away a driving free kick from Ajax captain Christian Chivu in the 38th.