Newcastle played well tonight, especially in the first half when we went 1-0 up after just 12 minutes with a beautifully worked goal from Simpson to Sissoko to Papiss Cisse, who put the ball in the back of the net – but a terrible second half mistake by Santon gifted Benfica their second goal after 65 minutes, and that was after Rodrigo had leveled the scores after 25 minutes.
Papiss Cisse scores after just 12 minutes
Then another mistake – a hand ball by Steven Taylor after 71 minutes gave Cordozo a penalty goal and Newcastle went down 3-1 – but we scored an away goal.
And Papiss Cisse could have had a hat trick, as he hit the post in both halves but was unlucky the ball didn’t go into the back of the net both times.
Newcastle started the game well and were attacking Benfica and after a couple of minutes Cisse got in a shot straight at the goalkeeper, and then a minute later he couldn’t quite control a through ball – and that was a chance lost as his first touch let him down.
But Newcastle started the game well and were playing tidy football and then would you believe it but a magnificent break after 12 minutes from Newcastle when Simpson found Sissoko down the right wing and the Frenchman centered the ball low into the b ox and Cisse was there to stab the ball home and Newcastle were 1-0 up and had scored an all important away goal.
The crowd were stunned and Newcastle continued to play good open football and could have gone two up after 23 minutes when another good break had Cisse hit the inside of the bar, but goalkeeper Artur got back just in time to stop the ball rolling over the line – that was unlucky for Newcastle.
And would you believe but two minutes later Benfica were level as Krul saved brilliantly from Cordozo’s swerving drive, but it was Rodrigo who stabbed the ball home – that was unlucky again for Newcastle.
And then two minutes later as Benfica were taking control, only a brilliant double save from Krul prevented Benfica from going ahead – as the Newcastle goalkeeper looked in top form.
Benfica were gaining control of the game, and only another good save from Krul kept Newcastle level – and half time came and it was 1-1 with Newcastle putting in an excellent first half performance, and they were unrecognizable from the team who were 2-0 down at the half on Saturday.
A minute into the second half and Marveaux played a great ball though to Cisse who was clear away on goal, and Cisse seemed to do everything right as he chipped over the goalkeeper, but the ball spun away and hit the upright – a huge let-off for Benfica and Cisse could have had a hat-trick and the Magpies could have been 3-1 up.
On 54 minutes Yanga-Mbiwa made a mistake and slipped, and let Rodrigo into the penalty area in the inside right position, and his cross was badly missed by Cordozo – and the really should have scored – a let-off for the Magpies.
On 60 minutes James Perch limped off and was replaced by Vurnon Anita – another injury for Newcastle and Lima came on for Rodrigo at the same time.
Benfica started to press but so far the Newcastle defense was proving a good match for them after 64 minutes.
But then after 66 minutes a terrible mistake from Davide Santon gave Benfica a gift goal, as he tried to pass back to Krul, but he didn’t see Lima who got to it first and put the ball into the back of the net – a simply catastrophic error from the Italian.
Then after 71 minutes Benfica got a penalty after Steven Taylor handled from a corner, and Cordozo put the ball home at the second attempt after his first conversion was disallowed for encroachment.
And it was 3-1 to Benfica and Newcastle would need to be careful not to concede any more daft goals.
Newcastle tried to come back into the game as they tried to get into a higher gear, and on 77 minutes Sissoko was through down the right wing – much the way he was for Newcastle’s first goal – but his cross this time was way behind Cisse.
On 81 minutes Shola Ameobi came on in place of Sylvain Marveaux, and then a couple of minutes later Dan Gosling came on for Danny Simpson – who limped off – another injury.
Newcastle tried hard to get a second goal, but it wasn’t to be and Newcastle went down 3-1 – so a 2-0 win at home next Thursday will see us through.
This might seem like a broken record – but Newcastle didn’t have much luck tonight – and could have had a better result than 3-1 – given the overall good performance, but we cannot make the mistakes we made in the seocnd hald against a team as good as Benfica.
Teams:
Benfica (4-3-3): Artur; Andre Almeida, Luisao (c), Ezequiel Garay, Melgarejo; Nicolas Gaitan, Nemanja Matic, Andre Gomes (Enzo Perez 61); Rodrigo (Lima 61), Oscar Cardozo (Maxi Pereira 77), Ola John
Subs not used: Paulo Lopes, Roderick, Urreta, Pablo Aimar
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Tim Krul; Danny Simpson (Dan Gosling 83), Steven Taylor, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Davide Santon; James Perch (Vurnon Anita 62), Yohan Cabaye (c); Sylvain Marveaux (Shola Ameobi 81), Moussa Sissoko, Jonas Gutierrez; Papiss Cisse
Subs not used: Rob Elliot, Mike Williamson, Gabriel Obertan, Adam Campbell
Referee: Antony Gautier (France)
Bookings: Benfica – Rodrigo (28), Perez (73); Newcastle – Perch (20), Ameobi (87)
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33 comments so far
Big Pappa Cissé
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:00 PM
Comment #1Not the result we needed going into the weekend.
Baro
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:01 PM
Comment #2Man I’ll empty out my whole bank account just for Davide Santon to leave this club. Dam this is about the 15th goal he has caused against us this season. Dam he is SSSSSHHHIIITTTT
He basically gave it to them…
geordie_upon_tyne
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:02 PM
Comment #32–0 at the mighty st james 🙂
toonLYF
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:02 PM
Comment #4some absolute mugs on here…3-1 is a scoreline i would’ve taken, for sure. Benfica, like i said, aren’t the unstoppable team people have made them out to be. We can beat them by 2 goals at SJP, i’m certain of it. Glad Cabaye got through without a booking, and Cisse looked terrific!
Stop mindlessly moaning man, it’s a quarter final of Europe away in Portugal, what the f do you’s expect? Us to win 3 or 4-0?
There’s so many positives there on display…we could’ve actually won the match if things had of went our way.
I know where the neggers will be when we play the 2nd leg…sat behind their TVs moaning…and i know where the real fans, who talk sense, will be…in St James Park roaring the lads on to the semi’s.
Baro
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:02 PM
Comment #5For once please do not play shola ameobi.. he is crap..
we really need a summer clear out for the crap players
we also need a whole lot of new players with technical ability..
toonLYF
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:03 PM
Comment #6Baro, why don’t you just fcuk off?
daztoon
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:04 PM
Comment #7Started well and 100% better than the city game but the defence sit back to much need to player higher line
colwell
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:04 PM
Comment #8Calling people Mugs then saying you’d have taken a 3-1 defeat very optimistic of you. I’d say people that accept defeat are MUGS
ochytoon
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:05 PM
Comment #9Didn’t see us string together many passes after the first five minutes or so of the second half. Thought we were pretty poor throughout tonight, can’t really fault Pardew. Cisse was very, very unlucky today but didn’t really do much apart from hit the post. Santon was crap, Milan are welcome to him in my mind. We look like we’re lacking something in the middle, not sure what though…
JAMSHA
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:05 PM
Comment #10Shots on target 3
10 Shots off target 3
12 Corners won N/A
N/A Offside 3
54.3 Possession % 45.7
2 Yellow Cards 2
N/A Red Cards N/A
14 Fouls won 8
8 Fouls conceded 15
80 Pass success rate % 80
lol Been a hr i saw newcastle 3 shorts on target lol n till the end 3 shots
Baro
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:05 PM
Comment #11toonLYF
hey i would of taken a 3-1 before the game too.
But, through the first half, did you certainly not think we could of won this game?
Honestly, have you seen davide santon pllay even once this season besides the match vs chelsea? … NO
I am just being honest.
I love NUFC!
I willl always cheer them on…
But, enough is enough
One comment a day
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:05 PM
Comment #12Can’t blame Pardew for Santon giving a goal away and Taylor sticking his arm out to play it. It screwed us big time, massive errors from players that should know better!
Baro
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:06 PM
Comment #13erase that…
i would of not taken a 3-1 before this game…
We are here and so are they…
we’ve made it as far as they have…
why not win this
geordie_upon_tyne
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:06 PM
Comment #14well said toonLYF
connor
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:08 PM
Comment #15hi guys, first time poster long time reader
Did anybody else feel like that match pretty much summed up our season, bad luck, mistakes and injuries.
I mean three things went against us that could quite easily have swayed the game our way, the two Cisse shots which hit the post, then the offside which was given were Sissoko looked well onside.
Then individual errors, three mistakes, arguably four, costing three goals, it culd be argues that Krul could have done better, then Yanga should have been on his toes to clean up. Then Santon hands them the ball, for them to score their second, and then Taylor, what was he thinking.
Then just to add to that, Marv not being match fit, Simpson, going off, hopefully that’s not too serious.
I really can’t wait for this season to be over, although all in all this is not too bad a result, and should we get back to SJP and win this, I can really see the trophy coming back
jimiley
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:09 PM
Comment #16This game is totally irrelevant. We will not win this competition. Its like saying Coventry will win the FA Cup. Coventry may get to the quarters but will they win it? The game against Fulham is far more important.
roytoon21
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:09 PM
Comment #17I think Santon was poor. Tim krul is such a top lad, He kept us in the game throughout the first half!
But 3-1 is a great result, 2-1 would be ideal, but 3-1 is good
We should win at SJP, the question is can we score 2 goals..
Man if only we didnt have injury problems 🙁
low fell mag
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:09 PM
Comment #18Toon lyf,well said that man,see you at the game cheering the lads on
geordie_upon_tyne
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:09 PM
Comment #19COULD OF BEEN A LOT WORSE THE RESULT COULD OF BEEN AT THE REAL STADIUM OF SHITE
Bambams
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:11 PM
Comment #20I was concerned about how we would handle their pace on the countet attack however I am not that worried now. We can do this lot at our place.
I genuinely believe they will not like it at our place and we can fo a two nil. Have belief…. we have the away goal !
magfly
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:11 PM
Comment #21Taylor wants to learn to put his arms behind his back he been very lucky before tonight.Santon mistake was school boy,We can still win this.Toon Toon
roytoon21
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Comment #22Santon is a great player, Dont forget how young he is, to me Mbiwa got lucky today, he does far too many mistakes.
Bambams
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Comment #23Its only half time boys…..
Believe…..
geordiemark
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Comment #24am not a steven taylor fan at all really and he does this stupid play act like ohh the ball hit my balls I just sat there and said son id sell you in half a minute and I would.
santon to me hes not a premire league defender really to many mistakes over the games hes played has caused defeats so either play him as a winger or maybe midfield spot or sell him
am impressed with cissies game tonight overall 3-1 no reason we cant beat them at st james they didnt scare me in fact I really hate teams that play act like they did but they are an excellent team but not as good as man city are
geordie_upon_tyne
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:13 PM
Comment #25IF YOUR PROUD TO BE A MACKEM GET Swastika TATTOOED ON YA FOREHEAD
geordie_upon_tyne
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:15 PM
Comment #26i like that chat for the scumberland game
marcotoon
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:17 PM
Comment #27I’m actually proud of the team tonight, we did ourselves proud and could easily have had three goals. Went down to a top quality side because of a Santon mistake and an extra official with a cattle prod behind the goal trying to justify his inclusion, I didn’t know they had the power and that’s the first time I’ve ever seen them have any bearing on the game whatsoever. I doubt we’ll go through as I just can’t see Benfica not scoring at St James’ but we’ve done well to get this far. We must now focus on Fulham on Sunday as we aren’t high and dry yet.
KTF
Ben-Arfa11
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:25 PM
Comment #28I always said Santon was a very poor player even at the start of the season i always told people on this if he was so good why did pardew sub him off nearly every half time last season he just isnt up to premier league standard im afraid seems like a genuine guy tho but we are looking for gifted players here at newcastle united and santon has the same iq as obertan they just aint very smart lads and no matter what coaching you give them they just wont ever improve as players.
portuguse teams dont fear me much atall benfica porto sportling lisbon in there pomp are always going to be very hard matches away from home however its a different story when they come to england they aint very good atall and an early goal and we could easily rack up 4 against them no doubt in my mind but it really does depend on will we play like we did in 1st 20 mins ? or for most of the match
if we play that fluid attacking like we did in 20 mins then we got great chance but if we play slow boring football for the other last 70 mins then it be a very comfortable night for benfica.
tim krul made a few errors but he is probably just rusty from some of his stops tonight you can see why he will become one of the best keepers in the world in a few years time i honestly believe we got the best keeper about……
i expect a 2-1 for newcastle next week errors tonight im afraid to fatal to recover.
MosesNUFC
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:26 PM
Comment #29Definitely think santon should be a wide midfielder.he just doesn’t look right in defence. I do think we can win 2-0 at home against benfica, but its a tough ask.
team for fulham:
krul
anita taylor m’biwa santon
sissoko tiote
Jonas Cabaye Gouffran
Cisse
really want to see Cabs in the free role and see sissoko driving through the midfield.
HTL
Fridge
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:27 PM
Comment #30What could have been not for two stupid mistakes. I am afraid thats it. I am not convinced we will score enough at home. Hope i am wrong though.
upthatoon
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:30 PM
Comment #31This match was never going to be easy to say the least but we showed a lot of things to be proud of tonight. It is far from the ideal result but this isn’t over yet. We showed we can break behind their defence and make chances. The odds are against us, but a 2-0 win at St. James isn’t impossible.
Santon did make a big mistake, but these things happen in football. Any footballer could have made that mistake. The very same people who criticise players such as Santon don’t realise how lucky we are to have players like him. He has a excellent attitude, is usually the last person off the pitch at St. James clapping the fans. He’s still young, is technically gifted, and will only get better. It was just a split second mistake that any human can make. He will be hurting after that, and will have learnt from it.
Remember we could be rotting in the championship, but instead for a while tonight we ruffled the feathers of one of the best teams in Europe. With a little patience we have a team that with a little more rebuilding can challenge in the top six regularly and not look out of place in the latter stages of competitions such as this one… And maybe, just maybe we’ll nick a trophy one day in the not too distant future. Hey, just imagine being a Mackem right now. Provided we can steer safe of relegation, we’ve got it pretty good 🙂
woolerbill
Apr 4, 2013 at 10:46 PM
Comment #32We have a death wish, that games ours for the taking. Only if we had a defenders with brains. The number of game we have lost because of over paid stupid defender. Stanton should be sold to Milan, he has cost a lot of game this season, he should be told he is a fullback, fist and for most.
Footballwatch
Apr 5, 2013 at 12:27 AM
Comment #33If you wish you can watch the game’s highlgihts on http://www.footballwatch.net/team/139