Newcastle United played very well against Benfica in Lisbon tonight, but second half defensive mistakes by Davide Santon and Steven Taylor gave Benfica a 3-1 victory – with Cisse scoring first for Newcastle after just 12 minutes, and he also hit the post in each half – and with any luck Papiss could have had a hat-trick tonight.
Papiss Cisse scores after just 12 minutes
And Alan Pardew was rightly proud of the effort his team put in tonight, as he had this to say to BBC Sport immediately after the game:
“I thought we did so much right to get into a great position. We had taken the sting out of them, then we gifted them a goal,”
“I thought Steven Taylor was desperately unlucky for the penalty; it just was not to be. I cannot fault the players, it was a great effort. We came here to have a go at them.”
Davide Santon’s disastrous mistake let Benfica in after 66 minutes, when he tried a pass back from the left-wing to goalkeeper Krul, but substitute Lima was on it like a flash and five minutes later Steven Taylor handled from a corner and Cordozo scored from the penalty spot at the second attempt – after the first conversion was disallowed for encroachment.
This was a good performance from Newcastle, but when Cisse hit the post for a second time a minute into the second half, you got the feeling this may not be Newcastle’s night.
But we were so much better than that pathetic performance last Saturday – and we gave Benfica a game tonight.
Now we must beat Fulham on Sunday afternoon.
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47 comments so far
northernirishtoon
Apr 4, 2013 at 11:41 PM
Comment #41Thought the tactics were good all the same
Pardew said –
“They are a quality side and we have to give them respect, but we showed tonight that, if we are ambitious, we can hurt a team.
Shame he isn’t ambitious more often!
That’s the most frustrating thing
toonarmydownsouth
Apr 4, 2013 at 11:42 PM
Comment #42Kevy
Fair enough can’t disagree with that, unlucky to hit the post twice but would it be different if we had a more clinical CF? Not sure but aye Marv made some poor decisions but also tbf put some cracking passes through tonight
manxpie
Apr 4, 2013 at 11:45 PM
Comment #43tads for me it was sisskos fault why did he duck like a girl it was his ball all day!!
staylors reaction was totally natural and unfortunatly the official on the goal line actually seen it (is that the 1st time them officials have actually done something!)
we were unlucky 2 nite we are owed some karma in the second leg and i think we’ll do it can’t wait now!
Sav
Apr 4, 2013 at 11:48 PM
Comment #44The team looks like they get along well and have decent spirit but I have to say, we seem to lack a real leader out there. I’d wish taylor, the local lad could be it, he is wholehearted, but just not a good enough footballer to be respected as team captain. Cabaye is good enough, but he can leave his foot in too often and he tends to roll around a bit when he is tackled and he sometimes goes missing. M’biwa is supposed to be captain material and maybe its still a language problem for him but for me, he doesn’t look in command. Tiote is too reckless and Colo, though a great footballer, does not communicate enough and he’s probably away anyway.
Tonight, I thought shoulders dropped and recriminating looks were exchanged which didn’t help when we went 2 down. Amongst the ‘purples’ we hope to sign in the summer, I hope one of them is a real leader because I feel its something we lack as much as a striker or another centreback. Especially with so many young players in the side, we need a talisman.
nicholasnufc
Apr 5, 2013 at 3:41 AM
Comment #45The positive is that we got an away goal. Let’s see how we can use that in the second leg.
NEWEXPATMAGPIE
Apr 5, 2013 at 6:16 AM
Comment #46@6:
I think everyone on here was watching a different game to you?
Benfica are 2 points clear at the top of the League above Porto in the competition there ! The last game they lost at home was months ago against Barca and they won last week 6-1 against a tricky oppoment !
We were Shite last week against Shitty and Shite against Wigan with a dodgy Ref !
We were NOT shite last night ! Plonker !
tweaked
Apr 5, 2013 at 7:32 AM
Comment #47We were unlucky not to be 3-0 up in the first half, the second half we gave them to much room and stayed n the back foot, sloppy goals given… We an stil in this at home we only need 2