Marseille 2-1 Newcastle United: Magpies Stumble in Champions League Trip
Newcastle United suffered a 2-1 defeat to Marseille in the Champions League, with Eddie Howe’s side unable to hold on to their first-half lead.
Harvey Barnes had put the Magpies ahead in the sixth minute, marking his fourth goal in as many Champions League appearances this season. Despite not dominating the opening 45 minutes, Newcastle looked dangerous on the counter and held their own against the French side.
However, just 24 seconds into the second half, Newcastle’s lead vanished. Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang capitalised on a misjudgment by goalkeeper Nick Pope, who had rushed 30 yards off his line and failed to reach the ball, slotting it into an empty net. The error proved costly, as Aubameyang added a second to complete the turnaround.
TNT Sports pundit Les Ferdinand criticised Pope for a “lack of concentration,” saying, “When someone scores that early in the second half, it’s all you can think about. It’s just a lapse in focus.” Former Chelsea winger Joe Cole added: “Two centre-halves against one forward shouldn’t lead to a goal like that. Newcastle were mostly second best, aside from a few moments. It wasn’t enough for an away result at Marseille. Back to the drawing board.”
Despite the setback, Newcastle remain eighth in their Champions League group. They now have four days to regroup ahead of their Premier League clash with Everton at Liverpool’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, where they will make their first-ever visit.
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