Newcastle United triumphs over Athletic Bilbao in Champions League
Newcastle United delivered an emphatic response to their weekend disappointment, defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at St James’ Park to secure their third consecutive Champions League triumph, reports BritPanorama.
Dan Burn’s magnificent header and Joelinton’s clinical finish proved decisive against the injury-ravaged Spanish visitors.
This victory propels Newcastle into sixth position in the league phase standings with nine points from four matches. Their sole defeat came against Barcelona in the opening fixture.
The result also marks Newcastle’s fifth straight home victory across all competitions, providing crucial momentum following Sunday’s dispiriting 3-1 reverse at West Ham, which left Eddie Howe’s side languishing in thirteenth place domestically.
Burn’s moment of brilliance arrived after just eleven minutes when Kieran Trippier’s expertly delivered free-kick found the defender unmarked in the penalty area. The England international connected with devastating precision, sending a curling header beyond Unai Simon and into the far corner from ten yards.
Athletic Bilbao, missing key players including brothers Inaki and Nico Williams, responded with determination. Unai Gomez squandered an early opportunity, directing his header straight at Nick Pope from Alex Berenguer’s corner. Athletic threatened twice more as Newcastle momentarily wavered, with Gomez hitting the near post and Adama Boiro unleashing a fierce effort that crashed against the woodwork.
Newcastle weathered this pressure before Anthony Gordon departed with a recurring hip problem late in the first half. Yet, the setback did not derail the hosts’ momentum.
Four minutes after the interval, Harvey Barnes created space down the left flank before delivering an inviting cross. Joelinton met the delivery emphatically, powering his header beyond Simon at the near post for his first goal in nine matches. The Brazilian’s strike effectively sealed the points, though Pope required sharp reflexes to deny substitute Nico Serrano’s spectacular long-range attempt.
The England goalkeeper produced another fine save from Serrano as Newcastle maintained their clean sheet. The comfortable conclusion marked a stark contrast to their weekend struggles, with Howe’s men controlling proceedings throughout the closing stages.
Eddie Howe expressed satisfaction with his team’s response, telling TNT Sports: “Really pleased with today. It was an important response to West Ham. We had a quick turnaround for this game. I don’t think it was us at our best but we’re in a good position now in this competition.” He highlighted Burn’s exceptional technique and noted, “It was very reminiscent of the cup final. It was from distance. It was a training ground move so well done to all the coaches involved in that.”
Howe emphasised the importance of goals from midfield, stating, “Joelinton needs to score. He’s always been a scorer of big goals for us. We’ve worked on it. We need our eights and wide men to start chipping in.” Newcastle will visit Brentford on Sunday before facing daunting away fixtures against Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen in Europe.
As the Magpies continue their pursuit of European success, their resilience in bouncing back can only strengthen their ambitions, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the tournament where every point counts.
