Newcastle United failed to win for the first time in this year's Intertoto Cup but it could have been far, far worse for Bobby Robson's team.
The second leg at St James' Park on Tuesday week would have carried little significance if the French team had accepted the chances they created with admirable style last night.
Nicolas Gousse, the Troyes striker, was responsible for the bulk of their wasteful finishing and, when he did adjust his sights, he found Newcastle's goalkeeper Shay Given's positioning impeccable.
Newcastle have been left in no doubt that victory in the second leg, which will carry with it a place in the first round of the Uefa Cup, is far from assured.
Troyes present a far more formidable challenge than Newcastle's previous opponents, Lokeren and 1860 Munich, even though their coach Alain Perrin had admitted before the match that Newcastle's £10m investment in Laurent Robert demonstrated that the two teams inhabited a "different world".
Financially, perhaps, but in terms of quality where it truly matters - on the pitch -Troyes's account looked in a substantially healthier state last night.
Granted, their league season has already started and Newcastle were deprived of half a dozen of their most influential players. But that cannot fully explain the way they floundered against Troyes, who were delightfully fluid and mobile for much of the game.
The angles of their passes and runs combined with an assured touch on the ball left too many Newcastle players isolated, notably in midfield. And, had Gousse matched their approach work with finishing of a similar calibre, Newcastle's interest in the competition would have been over long before the interval.
Gousse's first chance was created by the Argentine winger Luciano Zavagno after only 100 seconds. Gousse turned swiftly and shot powerfully into the body of Given, who was duly served notice this was to be a hectic night.
Given was again in the right place to deal with a seventh-minute shot from even closer range from Farid Ghazi.
Gousse's frustration mounted when he failed to reach a 36th-minute cross from Nedhi Leroy, and when he found more space behind a slumbering defence after 42 minutes Given saved superbly.
Troyes were less effective after the interval, but still wasted the best opportunity of the match when the substitute Rafik Saifi prodded the ball wide with Given again exposed in the 85th minute. It summed up the French team's misfortune.
Troyes (3-5-2): Heurtibis; Amzine, Berthe, Thomas; Bradja, Celestini, Ghazi, Leroy (Rothen, 62min), Zavagno; Boutal (Saifi, 75), Gousse (Djukic, 62).
Newcastle United (4-4-2): Given; Barton, Dabizas, Hughes, Elliott; Solano, Lee, Speed, Quinn; Ameobi (Bassedas, 90), Bellamy (Lua Lua, 88).
Referee: T Ovrebo (Norway).
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