Magpies spring a surprise on Spurs
Written By: Robert Halter
After back to back defeats, Steve Bruce was looking to mastermind his first Premier League win as the Newcastle United manager, with a fixture at Tottenham Hotspur, end of August. The first caution of the game went to Harry Winks for a shirt pull on Miguel Almiron. Having pulled up injured when running through, Allan Saint-Maxim was taken off for Christian Atsu. The Magpies had an escape on twenty minutes for a clumsy challenge by Fabian Schar on Heung-Min Son at the edge of the d. But in the twenty third minute, smart play by Joelinton Apolinario De Lira, opened space for Sean Longstaff, whose blast at goal was turned over the crossbar by an alert Hugo Lloris. However on twenty seven minutes, Newcastle took a surprise lead, when Matt Ritchie’s pass went to Atsu, who wedged the ball over the top, and as Danny Rose slid in, Joelinton, struck a low left footed shot into the bottom left corner, past the despairing dive of Lloris. In humid conditions, both sets of players took a drinks break, before Spurs kicked off, one nil down. As the Lilywhites searched an equaliser, Rose ran into Emil Krafth, inside the left area of the box. But in the thirty third minute, from a ball over on the right by Kyle Walker-Peters, a snap shot by Son on the left, was blocked with a reaction stop by Martin Dubravka. Then from Erik Lamela’s cross, an imposing Lucas Moura, was kept at bay with a headed clearance from Paul Dummett. In the fortieth minute, after Rose linked play with Winks, a short mazy run down the middle by Son, ended as he dragged his shot wide of the left post. Just before the break from a Ritchie corner, and Schar’s header over, there was a tug by Davinson Sanchez on Joelinton. In first half stoppage time, from Harry Kane’s delivery, the ball was pushed out from Dubravka, and Moura put his effort past the right post, as he tumbled over in the process. At the start of the second half, Ritchie got booked for slicing down Walker-Peters. There was then dangerous play by Moura with a high kick onto the top of Magpies captain, Jamaal Lascelles, as the ball fell for Kane to test the reflexes of Dubravka, but a foul had been given. Soon after, Son’s ball through ricocheted off Lascelles, before Schar made a saving tackle on Lamela, who was in sight of the target. In the fifty sixth minute, Rose’s cross spun off Moura’s head and onto the outside netting of the crossbar. Two minutes later, from Ritchie’s corner, a header by Lascelles, missed to the right. On the sixty first minute, from Atsu’s looping ball over, Joelinton, was unable to find a touch, with the goal gapping. Spurs then took off Lamela for Giovani Lo Celso and also replaced Walker-Peters with Christian Eriksen. The next yellow card went to Rose for chopping down Schar. As Joelinton pulled up injured and stayed on the floor, play continued, until Dubravka had a chance to throw the ball out, which followed with a drinks break, as Joelinton recovered. In the seventy fourth minute, from Son’s lay off, Lo Celso missed the target, out to the right. Lo Celso later returned the favour for Son, who was denied by a save from Dubravka. There was soon a big appeal for a penalty as Lascelles fell onto Kane in the area, but the VAR decision was not to give a spot kick, as Lascelles required treatment before getting to his feet. In the eighty first minute, from Eriksen’s threaded pass, Sissoko put the ball on a plate for Moura, who blazed over. With Lascelles unable to continue, Federico Fernandez , took over. After combining with Joelinton, a curling strike by Almiron, took a nick behind off Rose, before Joelinton could not continue as Yoshinori Muto, took his place before the Lilywhites switched Rose with Ben Davies. In added time from Lo Celso’s assist, a bending strike by Eriksen, went behind off Ritchie. At the end from a dangerous ball in by Sissoko, a miss controlled touch by Kane was hacked away from Krafth, as the Magpies held on for a precious three points away against an under performing Spurs.