There are many ways to self-destruct on a football pitch but PSV Eindhoven chose one of the more obvious methods.
In opting to play out slowly from the back against high-pressing opponents possessing forwards blessed with the speed and skill of Yoane Wissa and Anthony Gordon, Peter Bosz’s team were always likely to come undone.
Their inevitable unravelling left Newcastle on course for the Champions League knockout phase. While Eddie Howe’s side are already guaranteed a place in the playoffs to determine the composition of March’s round of 16, they can still bypass next month’s two-legged tie by finishing in the top eight.
Much hinges on Wednesday’s trip to Paris Saint Germain for a set of players with a habit of forgetting their domestic travails and raising their game on European nights. At times it was all so straightforward for Newcastle here it was hard to credit that this was PSV’s first defeat on the road in 10 months.
Eddie Howe had urged Newcastle fans to show his players their “love” but those in the Gallowgate End responded by unfurling a giant banner emblazoned with the message: “Write the next headline”. The subtext clearly challenged Gordon, Wissa and other underachieving members of Howe’s peculiarly inconsistent team to embrace the European spotlight.
Yoane Wissa scores Newcastle's first goal. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images
Yoane Wissa scores Newcastle's first goal. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images
Wissa, starting his first Champions League game, did not take long to do precisely that. When the visiting goalkeeper, Matej Kovar, hit his weak clearance to Bruno Guimarães, Newcastle’s captain promptly played in Joelinton courtesy of a perfect pass. He, in turn, squared for the £55m former Brentford striker to lift his shot over the prone keeper.
Howe had asked his players to live up to the attacking values once instilled here during Sir Bobby Robson’s tenure. Given that Robson also managed PSV Eindhoven with some distinction it was an evocative night.
Peter Bosz’s teams are invariably entertaining but PSV’s current head coach was forced to watch his side struggle defensively while failing to create clearcut chances in the course of a first half controlled largely by Newcastle.
The Dutch champions and clear Eredivisie leaders arrived protecting an unbeaten away record stretching back to March last year but, judging by his arms-folded stance, Bosz knew it was under severe threat. Half-time was fast approaching when Paul Wanner forced Nick Pope into his first save.
PSV are noted for defensive risk taking but when Gordon took his turn to rise to the challenge posed by that Gallowgate End banner he was assisted by the visitors’ second significant mistake of the evening.
As Yarek Gasiorowski, admittedly under pressure from Wissa, lingered in possession before attempting to, very poorly, pass back to Kovar, Wissa promptly intercepted that ball and squared for Gordon to stroke the ball home.
Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images
Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images
The England winger has struggled in the Premier League in recent months but the Champions League has been a different story. This was Gordon’s sixth European goal this season, making him Newcastle’s joint-top scorer in the competition alongside Alan Shearer.
Once again PSV’s attempts to build patiently from the back had foundered in the face of a high, hard Newcastle press led, expertly, by Wissa but Howe’s delight was tempered by the sight of Guimarães clearly struggling badly with an ankle injury.
In first-half stoppage time Newcastle’s captain finally limped off to be replaced by Lewis Miley. With Aston Villa due here on Sunday for a league game that could prove pivotal in the race for qualification for next season’s Champions League, Guimarães’s likely absence will be felt keenly.
A stronger team than PSV might have capitalised during those minutes Guimarães was hobbling around the pitch but they seemed too petrified by his midfield sidekick Joelinton’s intense aggression to benefit.
Two-nil leads can be notoriously fragile yet this contest was over well before Harvey Barnes met Pope’s deflected long kick, ran at the defence and curved a left-foot shot beyond the advancing Kovar to register his fifth Champions League goal of the season.
St James’ Park celebrated by rocking to poignant renditions of “Only one Bobby Robson” as Howe made a raft of substitutions and PSV supporters probably wondered why Sven Botman, excellent in central defence for the home side, is not yet part of the Netherlands squad.
Moises Caicedo celebrates scoring for Chelsea. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA
Moises Caicedo celebrates scoring for Chelsea. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA
Meanwhile, Chelsea boosted their chances of a top-eight finish when Moises Caicedo headed home from a corner in the 78th minute to finally break down a stubborn Pafos defence.
Liam Rosenior’s side moved up to eighth in the table on goal difference with one match to go, but a tough away game at Napoli awaits.
Chelsea enjoyed the lion’s share of possession but Pafos defended resolutely, backed by Dutch goalkeeper Jay Gorter who pulled off a series of fine saves, including three earlier bullet attempts from the Ecuadorean midfielder.
But Caicedo’s efforts eventually came good, breaking the deadlock from a Pedro Neto corner, earning Chelsea a chance to go straight through to the knockout rounds. – Guardian, additional reporting Reuters