Newcastle United's U19s were hammered by Benfica
Seung-Soo Park of Newcastle runs with the ball
Seung-Soo Park of Newcastle runs with the ball against Benfica U19s
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Newcastle United academy coach Adam Lawrence believes the likes of Leo Shahar, Seung-Soo Park and Sean Neave were shown the standards they must hit during the Magpies Under-19s UEFA Youth League defeat against Benfica.
The Portuguese giants are viewed as one of the favourites to win this season’s competition and they showed why they are worth of such a tag as a hat-trick from Eduardo Fernandes and a goal apiece from Goncalo Moreira and Francisco Silva helped them to a 5-1 win at Whitley Park.
The likes of Shahar and Neave are believed to have attracted interest from EFL clubs keen to take them on loan during the January transfer window as they look to take the next step in their development away from St James Park.
However, Lawrence stressed the Benfica defeat has given all of his players a clear example of the levels they must hit on a consistent basis if they want to challenge for a regular spot in Eddie Howe’s squad.
He told Chronicle Live: “If you look at the last few weeks in terms of the games across the age groups, the 18s, 19s and 21s, it brings different things in terms of the loans. If you look at the Mansfield game, the Boston game, that’s preparing the players for the future careers with what some of the games will look like in the leagues.
“When you play in these types of games, it’s the tactical, the technical details, the physicality, the mental side of the game. It’s tough at the moment with what we have experienced today but in terms of the level you’re aspiring to play at against peers that are going up against each other.
“We will look at each individual in terms of if the loan is going to be right for them in that period but we know we have a good games programme for them.”
After seeing off a lively start from their visitors, the Magpies youngsters grew into the game as the likes of Neave, Shahar and Kacey Wooster all tried their luck without success.
Neave, a Carabao Cup winner after his place on the bench for the historic Wembley win earlier this year, was at the heart of the action for United as he made the most of the space he was afforded in a deeper role and the first-team prospect fired wide from distance as his side’s first chance went begging.
Sean Neave of Newcastle United
Sean Neave of Newcastle United(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Image)
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That lack of a clinical edge was punished by Benfica when a deflected effort from eventual man of the match Fernandes put them in front with ten minutes of the first-half remaining.
That laid the platform for the Portuguese giants to go on and claim a comfortable win as Fernandes completed his hat-trick and Francisco Silva and Goncalo Moreira also found the net during a dominant second-half display.
There was a consolation goal for the Magpies youngsters in the closing stages as substitute Joe Brayson raced clear of the visitors backline before cooly slotting a shot beyond the advancing Diogo Ferreira.
Newcastle are now without a point from their first three games of this season’s Youth League and will now face a significant challenge if they are to progress beyond the league phase of the competition.
Despite the obvious disappointment of three successive defeats, Lawrence still felt there were positives to take from all three games.
He said: “The Barcelona game was a crazy game in terms of us bringing it back to 3-2 and feeling like we could have got something. The game at USG was different, we had a lot of the ball, we created good enough chances across the game but we didn’t score and got undone from a counter-attacking moment and a set-piece.
Newcastle United coach Adam Lawrence
Newcastle United coach Adam Lawrence(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Images)
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“It’s those moments again and then today, in terms of some of the individuals and the physicality of some of their players, that made a difference and we struggled with that.
“If you look at each individual game, there have been periods or parts where we’ve been at the level but then there’s been parts when we have fallen short so each game gives you a different set of problems.”
Newcastle United U19: Mair, Bailey (Finneran), Charlton, Munda, Shahar, Neave (Yildiz), Watts, Seung-soo (Brayson), Johnson, Wooster (Seldon), Alabi (Waddani) Subs: Dowell, Moran, Goodbrand. Bloomer
Benfica U19: D Ferreira, Banjaqui (Neves), R Silva, Oliveira, Neto, Quintas, Fernandes, Freitas (Figueiredo), F Silva (Afonso), Moreira, Coletta (Umeh) Subs: Lopes, Ndembi, G Ferreira, Manuel