Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up and buried a 98th-minute penalty, snatching a point for Liverpool right at the death and leaving Newcastle absolutely reeling at St. James’ Park. It was the ultimate gut punch for the home side, who thought they had this one locked down.
Early Shots Fired (and a Heartfelt Goodbye)
Before the whistle even blew, the atmosphere was already electric and deeply emotional. Newcastle paid incredible tributes to Kevin Keegan, who sadly passed over the summer at 75 after battling cancer. Three separate crowd displays and a minute’s applause honored a true legend. On the pitch, new blood was everywhere for both sides. Liverpool’s 21-year-old summer signing, Jérémy Jacquet, started alongside Virgil Van Dijk, while Aleksander Isak returned to St. James’ Park leading the line. Newcastle also rolled out three new faces in their starting XI: Sean Steur, Amar Dedic, and Lukás Hornícek.
It didn’t take long for the Magpies to take flight, literally, as Anthony Elanga netted his first Premier League goal in Newcastle colors just four minutes in! A rampant counterattack saw Elanga break past Milos Kerkez and pick out the bottom corner. Liverpool tried to respond with Cody Gakpo’s volley, but Malick Thiaw blocked it cold. Florian Wirtz fired a shot that Hornícek kept out too. The game got chippy fast, with yellow cards flying for Yoanne Wissa, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, and Lewis Miley before halftime. Despite Liverpool’s efforts, Newcastle went into the break holding onto that crucial 1-0 lead. It felt like the home team had the momentum, no doubt.
Second Half Fireworks and That Absolutely Wild Finish
The second half kicked off with Liverpool pushing hard. Szoboszlai’s corner found the far post, but Hornícek was there again, palming it away. Dedic even created space for a shot at the edge of the area but sent it over the bar. Then, finally, Liverpool broke through! Cody Gakpo unleashed a ferocious strike from range that drilled right into the bottom corner. Game on, right? The momentum felt like it had shifted entirely.
But hold up, because Newcastle said “not so fast”! Just five minutes later, after a double change saw Joe Willock and Jacob Ramsey enter the fray, Willock made an instant impact. He picked out the far corner from inside the box, rounding off a brilliant counter and restoring Newcastle’s lead. That was Willock’s first top-flight goal in over two years, and you know that felt amazing for him and the home crowd. They had clawed their lead back, and the clock was ticking down. Newcastle thought they had this victory secured. Then came the 98th minute. Szoboszlai was the man, cool as ice, stepping up to the spot and calmly dispatching the penalty. It was virtually the last kick of the game, a true late late show to snatch a point.
What a finish! Liverpool walked away with a point from St. James’ Park, but man, Newcastle is going to be replaying that final minute for weeks. Losing a lead twice, and then giving up a penalty with the game literally over? That’s brutal. For Liverpool, salvaging a draw like that on the road can feel like a win and could be a massive morale boost moving forward. This is the kind of drama that defines a season, so you gotta wonder how both teams bounce back from such an emotionally charged battle in their next matchups.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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