Newcastle 1-0 Bournemouth: Adam Smith’s own goal sends Eddie Howe’s Magpies into the Carabao Cup quarter-final | football news
Adam Smith’s own goal gave Newcastle a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-final as Eddie Howe’s men edged out his former club Bournemouth.
The Cherries’ skipper’s misfortune in the 67th minute was enough to secure a 1-0 win for the Magpies at St James’ Park and raise hopes that they can finally end a domestic title drought dating back to 1955. .
If the victory was deserved (the Magpies dominated much of the 90 minutes in front of an expectant crowd of 51,579), it turned out to be a close one with goalkeeper Nick Pope having to save substitute Jack Stacey and Dominic Solanke to preserve his clean sheet and secure a seventh consecutive victory.
Newcastle have reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup for the second time in three seasons
Howe made a significant statement when he named his five returning World Cup stars – Pope, Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson – to his starting line-up.
Trippier fired a free kick in the 13th minute after Lewis Cook had brought Joelinton back, and Sean Longstaff fired wide after intercepting a loose Adam Smith pass seconds later.
Pope had to be on the alert to pick up Kieffer Moore’s takedown before Ryan Christie as the visitors responded, but opposite number Mark Travers was relieved to see Schar’s piledriver in the 20th minute flying just over his right post with no chance. to get to him.
Howe and assistant Jason Tindall were camped out in the technical area repeatedly encouraging their team to move the ball faster with Bournemouth sitting deep, and thought they had gone ahead with 26 minutes left when Wilson fired a shot past Travers, only to be received by a delayed offside flag.
The England leaders headed in Trippier’s cross and then cleared the crossbar with a well-hit volley on 35 minutes with Newcastle redoubling their efforts, but Travers comfortably fielded Guimaraes’ shot from distance six minutes before half-time.
Miguel Almiron should have opened the scoring on the stroke of half time, but made a mistake when he met Dan Burn’s cross beyond the far post, and the home team thanked Jaidon Anthony, Jordan Zemura. and Solanke ultimately came to nothing.
The Magpies lacked the required precision in the early stages of the second half with Schar failing to connect with a tempting Trippier free kick in front of goal, and received a warning in the 57th minute when Moore sent a diving header wide of a Smith center. .
With Anthony and Zemura increasingly influential as Bournemouth mounted a series of counter-attacks, the game opened up, but the visitors contributed to their own downfall when the deadlock was finally broken.
Smith fought valiantly through the air in an attempt to prevent Wilson from reaching Trippier’s cross, but managed only to head the ball into his own net despite the best efforts of teammate Marcos Senesi down the line.
Stacey tested Pope with a steady shot 16 minutes from time and Travers had to deflect Guimaraes’s deflected shot, but Solanke was parried by the England goalkeeper in the death.
Whats Next?
Newcastle return to Premier League action on Boxing Day, when they travel to the King Power Stadium to take on Leicester at 3pm
Meanwhile, Bournemouth return the next day, Tuesday December 27, when they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge at 5.30pm.