If at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again. Or even on the second try. It appeared to be one of those nights for the Newcastle forward Joelinton, who had a first-half goal disallowed for handball and then made a bid for miss of the season at the start of the second half.
The quick-footed Miguel Almirón had crossed the ball, and after a double deflection inside the six-yard box, the ball lay open for the onrushing Joelinton. When he raised his arms, he could have been excused for desiring to be very far away, say, in Newcastle.
Joelinton resisted hiding. He persisted in pushing. And when Duje Caleta-Car was dispossessed by substitute Alexander Isak, Joelinton made another run. This time, he truly could not miss from close range, and Newcastle was in command of the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final – one step closer to a first cup final since 1999 and a first trophy since the 1969 Fairs Cup.
Eddie Howe lauded the contribution of Isak, whose speed, technique, and intelligent movement made the difference on the right flank, but there were plenty of other stars in Newcastle colors, beginning with Almirón. Bruno Guimares followed closely following. He relentlessly probed from midfield.
Once in the lead, it would have required courage to wager on Newcastle, the Premier League team with the toughest defensive record by a wide margin. Nick Pope, their goalie, entered the game with nine consecutive clean sheets. The last time he allowed a goal was on November 6 in this 4-1 league victory.
Joelinton wins 10-man Newcastle semi-final first leg. Southampton
Yet Southampton, the bottom club in the Premier League, refused to let their heads drop. They expected to score the first goal just after the hour mark, but substitute Ché Adams missed a one-on-one opportunity with Pope and was later denied by a great stop from the goalkeeper.
When James Ward-Prowse crossed the ball and substitute Samuel Edozie brought the ball back from the far post to substitute Adam Armstrong, Southampton believed they had equalized. The attempted finish was botched, but the ball rebounded off Dan Burn, hit Armstrong, and was scored on. It was difficult to tell at the moment how it got there because it was so filthy. The VAR then realized how – by using a hand. The festivities in Southampton came to an end.
Nathan Jones was keen to overlook Southampton’s league difficulties for at least one evening. Nobody gave his club a chance against Manchester City in the previous round of this competition, but look what transpired. The manager might be pleased with the performance of the midfield rookie, Carlos Alcaraz, who made his complete debut. The $12.3 million transfer from Racing Club appeared to be a bargain.
Joelinton wins 10-man Newcastle semi-final
In the end, though, there would be a disappointment, since Southampton would feel inferior in the majority of significant aspects. Caleta-Car was cautioned for a late charge on Almirón in the 29th minute; he was subsequently sent off for a second yellow card after a challenge on Allan Saint-Maximin, a substitute for Newcastle. Next week, Southampton will begin the second leg at St. James’ Park as an underdog.
Howe stated, “Joelinton’s path at Newcastle exemplifies his mental toughness.” “He is resilient. He does not become flustered in either favorable or unfavorable circumstances. When we needed him, he was immediately available.”
It took the Newcastle supporters 11 hours to travel 644 miles round-trip from their city, a journey of around 644 kilometers. And it was never going to prevent them from attending their first FA Cup semi-final since 2005 when they lost to Manchester United. It was Southampton’s fourth semi-final appearance since 2017.
Newcastle had a club-record 15-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League heading into the game, and they were the superior team in the first half. Southampton’s press was ineffective, their passing was sloppy, and they were susceptible to Newcastle’s rapid transitions.
Joe Willock shot high twice, and there were a few disagreements, the first occurring after Joelinton scored in the 39th minute. Willock cut inside and compelled Gavin Bazunu to parry, and then Callum Wilson was blocked by a Mohammed Salisu challenge before Joelinton snatched the rebound. The referee, Stuart Attwell, whistled Joelinton for a somewhat rough handball.
Almirón’s speed and directness
The second incident involved Pope, who exited his area to clear the ball over Moussa Djenepo before knocking out the Southampton winger, who had to be replaced due to a suspected concussion. Pope appeared irresponsible, and he was fortunate to have avoided at least a booking. Jones stated, “It was not a good challenge in any sense.”
Southampton was incapable of dealing with Almirón’s speed and directness. Three times he broke free to cross at the beginning of the second half. But Southampton was saved each time, most notably when Joelinton had his uncomfortable moment. Sean Longstaff also missed the mark, while Sven Botman was unable to score after Bazunu again blocked his effort.
The turning point of the game was Pope’s first stop on Adams, who had been let free by Alcaraz’s wonderful ball. Adams scored the second goal after a turn and a close-range shot. Alcaraz had come close to catching Pope from a distance during the first half.
Jones stated, “Nick is undoubtedly the greatest goalie in the league.” “Perhaps not the most stylish in terms of his feet, but certainly the best goalie. I’m frustrated because we are occasionally naive in our defense, resulting in missed opportunities. “What is lacking are the decisive edges.”
