Valiant Newcastle u21 Second-Half Display Not Enough to Spark Comeback
Newcastle United u21 0
Paris Saint-German u21 2
PREMIER LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL CUP
Newcastle fell to a 2-0 loss against a talented PSG squad in their second Premier League International Cup game on a cold night at Whitley Park.
Khalil Ayari opened the scoring just shy of 30 minutes with a thunderous strike. Three minutes later Mohammed-Amine El Idrissi got the second. Any potential comeback was made harder when Scott Bailey was sent off on the cusp of half-time.
The hosts made three changes as Joe Brayson and Max and Ciaran Thompson came into the squad following the 0-0 draw with Real Sociedad on Wednesday night.
Newcastle started positively, enjoying a share of possession and pressing their visitors well. A good passing move led to a corner which resulted in a Miodrag Pivas, his effort could only hit the outside of the post.
A few minutes after Ben Parkinson tested Arhur Vignaud in the PSG goal. His shot-come-cross was tipped over by the scrambling goalkeeper.
The visitors started to grow into the game, popping the ball quickly around the pitch but were initially unable to break down Newcaslte’s compact defence. That was until Ayari picked the ball up on the right side, a few step-overs and a burst of pace allowed him to get away from Charlie McArthur and fire it home off the crossbar.
A moment of quality to break the deadlock.
El Idrissi tested Thompson in the Newcastle net, soon after, a drive from outside the box was saved low by the keeper. However, the Moroccan got the better of the shot-stopper only a minute later.
He had spent a lot of the game picking up space in midfield positions where Newcastle struggled to pick him up. A run in behind was superbly picked out by a team-mate and he slotted home to double the PSG advantage.
Max Thompson was called into action again as he tipped over a curling effort from Noah Nsoki who tried his luck from a wide free-kick.
Newcsastle were then reduced to ten-men, midfielder Scott Bailey was sent off for a sliding tackle from behind, the refferee deeming it to be dangerous.
PSG had the first chance of the second-half, Mathis Jangeal rabona’d a pass into Rayan Abo El Nay who was steaming into the Newcastle box, however, he was unable to get his off-balance shot on target.
Newcastle did well to stay in the game despite being a man down. After a flurry of PSG chances to start he half they got a foot on thee game again and started to challenge the visiting defence.
The closest they came to getting a goal back was when an Alfie Harrison free-kick was met by a looping Pivas header, unfortunately it was too high to worry Vignaud.
The hosts performed admirably to not let PSG run away with it after the red card and will take confidence from their disciplined second-half performance.
Newcastle u21: M. Thompson, C. Thompson (Shahar 70’), McArthur, Heffernan, Pivas (Bryant 84’), Bailey, Parkinson, Munda, Brayson (Alabi 45’), Harrison, Seung-Soo (Wooster 79’)
Unused subs: Taylor, Charlton, Bryant, Palmer.
PSG: Vignaud, Coulibaly, El Idrissi (Mhand 77’), Lucea, Lavenette (Cordier 84’), Nzinga, Doue, El Nay (Housni 66’), Ayari, Nsoki, Jangeal (Bastaraud 77’).
Unused subs: Cormier, Francillone.
