Marcus Rashford scored his first Barcelona objectives because the LaLiga giants sank a spirited Newcastle facet in an enthralling recreation at St James’ Park on Thursday.
Anthony Gordon pulled one again within the ninetieth minute for Eddie Howe’s facet, who at instances outplayed their big-name opponents. However they had been in the end undone by two effective Rashford efforts within the second half.
Forward of what was the Magpies’ return to the Champions League after a season away, Howe had stated that the tie had a “magical” really feel to it.
And, for Newcastle followers, the competition can have conjured up fond reminiscences of cult hero Faustino Asprilla bagging a hat-trick towards the Catalan giants 28 years in the past.
Nonetheless, regardless of the late fightback, there have been to be no such heroics this time spherical, and it was Barcelona who this time left with the blissful reminiscences and, crucially, all three factors.
Fearless Newcastle throw warning to the wind
In an intriguing however in the end goalless first half, it was the hosts who loved the higher of it.
Gordon squandered a terrific probability contained in the opening 10 minutes when he failed to attach with the vigorous Antony Elanga’s cut-back.
On such a momentous event, the Magpies confirmed little signal of nerves, proscribing the Catalan membership to only a few clear-cut possibilities.
Dan Burn was maybe lucky to flee with solely a yellow card after a powerful problem on Jules Kounde on the stroke of half-time, but it surely was Howe’s males who went into the break the happier of the 2 managers.
Rashford steals the present
Within the absence of teenage celebrity Lamine Yamal, who was lacking via damage, Hansi Flick had turned to Marcus Rashford, on mortgage from Manchester United, to do a lot of his facet’s inventive bidding.
And after a comparatively quiet 58-minutes, the England ahead struck his first purpose for the LaLiga membership when he stole a yard from Fabian Schar earlier than brilliantly nodding Kounde’s cross previous Nick Pope.
Inside 10 minutes, Rashford had doubled his tally. Howe had talked of magic within the construct up and, sarcastically, such a second of brilliance would come towards his crew.
Jinking sideways alongside the sting of the Newcastle space, the Barca loanee fired an unstoppable strike that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar: a chic effort that instantly gave the guests management of the competition.
Because the clock ticked over into the ninetieth minute, Gordon gave the hosts a late lifeline when, following a effective Newcastle transfer, his bobbled effort from Jacob Murphy’s cross beat Joan Garcia within the Barca purpose to make it an thrilling previous couple of minutes.
However there was to be no additional third-act twist on this engrossing drama and Barcelona prevailed.
