Newcastle United 4-1 Paris Saint-Germain (Almiron 17′, Burn 39′, Longstaff 51′, Schar 91′ | Hernandez 56′)
ST JAMES’ PARK — On a wild, synapse-snapping evening for the ages at St James’ Park, Newcastle United announced their arrival among Europe’s elite with a performance of the highest quality to humble the aristocrats of Paris Saint-Germain.
What a night, what a result and what a scoresheet for the home side. Two of the architects of this, one of the greatest performances in the club’s modern era, are Geordies but that only tells half the story. Both have spent a career scrapping to scramble to this career summit.
Dan Burn, whose iconic, arms outstretched celebration after his headed goal will adorn flags and t-shirts in these parts for years to come, was pushing trolleys at Asda 14 years ago. At age 31 he was craning over Milan Skriniar to put PSG on the skids.
And how about Sean Longstaff, who slammed home the third under Gianluigi Donnarumma to land arguably the decisive black and white body blow? In the summer he was training among friends at non-league Newcastle Blue Star. Here he was running the show in club football’s blue riband competition.
It was a wonderful night of football, Newcastle’s first half dominance contributing to a riotous atmosphere on Tyneside. That the visitors, whose attack included the most vibrant forward player on the planet, belatedly clambered off the floor to make a game of it in the second period actually added heft to Newcastle’s achievement. They really had to work for it, despite the scoreline.
All day the city had fizzed with anticipation at the return of the Champions League to Tyneside. The sight of Parisian ultras marching from the Bigg Market to the ground, regrettably hurling the odd bottle and cone at policemen, was caught by hundreds of smartphones as Newcastle drunk it in.
If the supporters relished the newness of it all, Eddie Howe’s challenge was to channel that energy into a display that resembled their trademark intensity. He did that wonderfully, pairing the inspired Bruno Guimaraes with Sandro Tonali in a midfield that greatly benefited from Longstaff’s discipline and industry.
PSG resembled a rabble, unable to cope with Newcastle’s effervescence. True, they began with an air of arrogance but soon enough unforced errors were creeping into their game, and the home side pounced with rapier-like speed.
What possessed their captain Marquinhos to try and scoop a pass over Newcastle’s forwards only he knows, but Alexander Isak did not need any further invitation to strike at Donnarumma’s goal.
Simply stunning.
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) October 4, 2023pic.twitter.com/4ZVf6PTEhe
The Italy goalkeeper saved well but Miguel Almiron’s follow-up was crisply hit into the corner of the goal. It was Newcastle’s first goal in this competition since Alan Shearer scored in the San Siro, and felt every bit as important. Belief flowed.
Kylian Mbappe and co couldn’t say they weren’t warned. Four minutes were on the clock when Anthony Gordon challenged Marquinhos on the touchline, prompting a full-throated roar from a capacity crowd. Pumping his arms, he implored supporters to ratchet up the noise levels and they complied.
Newcastle’s intensity barely wavered. Even when the visitors did make a breakthrough, Theo Hernandez nodding past Nick Pope, they were not able to establish a rhythm. A sensational fourth from Fabian Schar eliminated any late nerves. The vibrations of this result, you suspect, will be felt wider than just among their heavyweight rivals in Group F.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/veWAQCK
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