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Heartbreak in Germany after brilliant comeback – Leverkusen 2-2 Newcastle

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Heartbreak in Germany after brilliant comeback – Leverkusen 2-2 Newcastle

A night of mixed emotions in the Champions League for Newcastle United as we come away from Germany with a point from Bayer Leverkusen.

In a game that started disastrously with an early Bruno Guimaraes own goal, we rallied in the second half with comeback goals from Anthony Gordon and Lewis Miley, only to let that lead slip in the 88th minute as Alejandro Grimaldo struck to make it 2-2.

In some ways it’s not a bad point against a Leverkusen side who won 2-0 at Man City in their previous UCL game, leaving us 12th in the table and above Barcelona and Chelsea with two games to go against PSV and PSH, but our inability to hold onto a lead will be questioned once again as that late equaliser might just be the difference between finishing in the top eight or not.

Eddie Howe made four changes from our 2-1 win over Burnley on Saturday, seeing Hall, Tonali, Joelinton and Barnes come into the side as Schar, Willock, Ramsey and Elanga dropped to the bench.

We made a comfortable start without ever really penetrating that Leverkusen defence before the hosts grew into the game, forced a corner a scored such a soft opener. Ramsdale seemed glued to his line (not for the first time) and Andrich beat Tonali to the header, which deflected in off Bruno. An avoidable own goal, more weak defending from set pieces and an early gift for Leverkusen, who went 1-0 up within 15 minutes.

Barnes had two weak efforts comfortably saved after cutting in from the right and a few cheap giveaways followed from Joelinton, who hadn’t started this one well after starring in our last away match; a convincing 4-1 win at Everton.

Our woeful start went from bad to worse as Leverkusen cut through our non-existent midfield before Thiaw hauled down a goal-bound Schick. It looked like a penalty initially, but the contact started outside the box and the German was booked. A big let off considering fears of a red card and spot kick, but a real concern how easy the hosts were able to burst past our midfield and get in behind our back line.

A low cross from Tino was almost turned in for the second own goal of the game and two good balls into the box followed from Hall and Barnes, but neither found a Newcastle shirt, with Woltemade struggling to get into the game on his return to Germany.

There wasn’t enough zip to our play and too many attacks fizzled out, with our lack of quality or invention allowing Leverkusen to defend comfortably in a low block and counter quickly when the chance to break came their way.

We hadn’t come back to win from 1-0 down in the Champions League since beating Dinamo Kiev back in 2002, so something had to change as we entered a huge second half at the BayArena.

Our intensity, patterns of play and final product needed to improve, and we came close to drawing level just a few minutes after the restart as Hall latched onto a loose ball, drove into the box and saw his low cross just evade Barnes for what would’ve been a tap in at the back post.

Then came THE moment to get back into it. Woltemade caught Flekken napping, stole the ball from the former Brentford stopper and won a penalty, which Gordon dispatched emphatically to make it three goals, all from the spot, in his last three and five in the Champions League. 1-1!

Our equaliser pulled Leverkusen out of that low block and back on the attack, seeing us retreat momentarily before we threatened at the other end, first through a brilliant Gordon run and strike that came back of the post, and again via Woltemade, as the big man’s goal-bound strike deflected wide for a corner.

The game was here for us to win and we had to take advantage, although we survived one big scare as Tonali’s slip allowed the rapid Poku to counter and eventually fire over via a slight deflection.

Miley’s introduction helped, giving us presence, energy and the sort of composure on the ball that Joelinton was often lacking in a scrappy display from the Brazilian. And the Geordie midfielder would soon make all the difference where it mattered to send us ahead!

Gordon’s wing play was superb, finding space and curling in fantastic cross that Miley made the most of, getting up above his man and heading into the far corner to send us 2-1 up in front of the travelling Toon Army.

We had to now kick on from here, make the most of our momentum and look to finish them off, and we came so close to doing so not once but twice, as Thiaw’s header was clawed away by Flekken before Murphy’s edge of the box strike cracked the post after he came on for Barnes.

At the other end, we had a lead to protect and had to show real grit to keep them at bay, with Ramsdale making a few solid stops, Burn and Livramento winning big headers in the box, a tiring Tonali giving his all to put out fires until our resilience was broken.

Yet another late goal conceded as a one-two on the edge of the box and Grimaldo finish made it 2-2 on 88 minutes, breaking Newcastle hearts and leaving us to regret those nearly moments minutes earlier as Thiaw and Murphy went within inches of making it 3-1.

Four minutes of added time passed and that was that. A point that could be considered a good one based on our position at the break, but that late equaliser stings and continues our costly habit of conceding late goals, leaving many to debate if that’s one point gained or two precious points dropped.

Next up, a return to Premier League action this weekend and our biggest game of the season so far as we head to Sunderland on Sunday.

Keep the faith. Howay the lads!

Newcastle XI (4-3-3): Ramsdale – Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall – Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton – Gordon, Woltemade, Barnes.

Subs: Thompson, Harrison, Schar, Wissa, Elanga, J. Murphy, Willock, A.Murphy, Ramsey, Miley

Leverkusen XI (3-4-2-1): Flekken – Andrich, Quansah, Tapsoba – Arthur, Maza, Aleix García, Grimaldo – Tillman, Poku – Schick.




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