Borussia Dortmund secured a 2-0 home victory over Newcastle on Tuesday, thanks to a late goal from Julian Brandt. The defeat severely damages Newcastle’s chances of progressing to the knockout phase of the Champions League.
Newcastle, who made a comeback to the Champions League after twenty years, had to secure a win in Dortmund to keep their hopes alive for a spot in the last 16. However, they were outclassed by the German side throughout the match.
Dortmund’s win propelled them to the top of Group F, which is considered a challenging group. They are now three points ahead of Newcastle and hold the head-to-head advantage.
Later on Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain can maintain their lead in the group if they avoid defeat against AC Milan.
An injury-plagued Newcastle arrived in Dortmund with a depleted squad. Manager Eddie Howe had already lost defenders Dan Burn and Matt Targett to long-term injuries during Newcastle’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal on the weekend.
Coming off a comprehensive defeat against Bayern Munich with Harry Kane leading the charge, Dortmund started the match confidently. Within the first 15 minutes, Niclas Fuellkrug and Karim Adeyemi unleashed powerful shots on Newcastle’s goal.
Thirty-year-old Fuellkrug, who made his Germany debut a year ago, broke the deadlock in the middle of the first half by scoring his first Champions League goal.
Felix Nmecha, who scored the only goal in the previous match at St James’ Park, along with Brandt, controlled the midfield and kept Newcastle’s undermanned defense at bay.
Both sides had chances early in the second half. Brandt tested Newcastle’s goalkeeper Nick Pope while Joelinton had a wayward header for Newcastle.
A tired Adeyemi conceded a dangerous free-kick on the left side of the box with 10 minutes left. But Kieran Trippier’s poor delivery allowed Dortmund to launch a counter-attack and seal the match.
Adeyemi regained possession and played a perfect pass into Newcastle’s half, finding Brandt in a two-on-one situation. Brandt cleverly shaped to pass before passing the ball beyond a helpless Pope to double Dortmund’s lead.
This victory means Dortmund is the only team to have defeated Newcastle in their past 13 matches in the Premier League, having achieved this feat twice in the span of two weeks.
AFP
