Newcastle 2-0 Tottenham
by Roger Domeneghetti
at St James Park

THE LEAGUE Cup may not be at the top of Newcastle’s list of priorities, but it is a competition they very much enjoy.

Finalists in 2023, winners in 2025, this win secured a place in the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive season.

Spurs fans spent much of the game goading the home crowd with a chant of “Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that” — a bold claim given they won the continent’s second-tier competition.

Nonetheless, this was a battle between two teams enjoying the Champions League this season.

On paper, it was a fairly even game — indeed Spurs had slightly more possession and eked out six shots on target to the hosts’ three.

Thomas Frank’s side have hurt a number of sides with their aerial strength this season and in the warm-up before the game, they had made a point of practising corners. Somewhat ironically, when Newcastle opened the scoring, it was from a corner.

Fabian Schar muscled his way into the box and out jumping Kevin Danso and Lucas Bergvall to meet Sandro Tonali’s in swinging corner.

In the process of tackling back, Djed Spence lost a boot. Although referee Chris Kavanagh gave him time to put it back on, he allowed Sandro Tonali to take it before Spence was got back into the box.

Spurs were aggrieved, Richarlison getting a booking for his trouble. But for a team that had demonstrated that they knew the importance would be, it was naive. Really, they could have no complaints.

For the rest of the half, the teams traded chances, the best falling to Harvey Barnes who acrobatically contorted himself into position to volley Malick Thaw’s cross onto the bar just before the break.

Newcastle didn’t have to wait long into the second half for their second. Nick Woltemade, who had been a menace throughout the game rose to meet Joe Willock’s cross, looping a header over the onrushing Antonin Kinsky, whose attempt to punch the ball clear only connected with the cold north-east air.

It was no less than the Magpies deserved.