Newcastle United vs Borussia Dortmund. UEFA Champions League Group F.
St James' Park, NewcastleAttendance52,024.
Report as Newcastle suffer their first Champions League defeat of the season at home to Borussia Dortmund; Felix Nmecha's goal on the stroke of half-time proved to be winner; Callum Wilson and Anthony Gordon both hit bar late on as Newcastle lose to slip to third in Group F
Thursday 26 October 2023 06:13, UK
Eddie Howe felt Newcastle were dealt a “lesson” on the fine margins of the Champions League as Borussia Dortmund handed the Magpies a first defeat of their campaign.
After beating French champions Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 in their last European match at St James' Park, Newcastle were brought back down to earth by Dortmund as they suffered their first defeat in nine matches.
Felix Nmecha's goal on the stroke of half-time proved to be the winner as the German side recorded their first victory of this season's Champions League.
Callum Wilson, who replaced the injured Alexander Isak after just 15 minutes, missed a great chance in the second half to bring Newcastle level as Gregor Kobel saved superbly.
The woodwork denied Newcastle twice late on as Wilson headed against it from a free-kick while Anthony Gordon saw a stoppage-time effort crash off the bar.
Howe's side, who had started the night top of the group, have dropped down to third behind Dortmund, with PSG topping the table on six points after a 3-0 home win over AC Milan.
"It was always going to be tight," the Newcastle boss said. "There are top-quality teams in the group. Tonight is a blow, especially (losing) at home. A lesson in how fine the margins are going to be.
"The ball just wouldn't go in for us. It was one of those nights. Callum had the first chance of the second half, that was a good one and then we hit the bar twice but just couldn't force it in.
"Credit to the players, we never gave up, we kept doing the right things. We looked like a goal threat. But we have to be at our best to win and if you dip below that, it is tough to get results at this level.
"Any mistake you make is liable to get punished. We made one and seconds later we conceded so there is stuff we could have done better and when we analyse in the cold light of day, we will take a lot."
The Magpies now face tough away games against Dortmund and PSG next month with plenty left to do if the Premier League side are to reach the knockout stages.
A rain-soaked St James' Park was unsurprisingly bouncing ahead of kick-off with an air of expectation following their dispatching of PSG on Tyneside earlier this month.
The atmosphere helped to create a chaotic opening to the game as both sides had chances to take the lead.
In the second minute, Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope blocked Donyell Malen's shot with his legs and then just a minute later his opposite number Kobel was alert to dive and stop Gordon's curling shot.
Pope produced an excellent double save in the 10th minute to first deny Malen and then Niclas Fullkrug's close-range follow up.
Newcastle then countered at breakneck speed through Isak, who slipped in Gordon but he was once again denied by Kobel.
That was Isak's last real action of the game as he limped off after just 15 minutes, having earlier undergone treatment on the pitch.
But just as half-time approached, Dortmund struck to silence St James' Park. Nico Schlotterbeck robbed Gordon to release Marco Reus who then slipped in the defender on the left, with his cross finding an unmarked Nmecha to allow the ex-Manchester City youngster to guide home expertly.
Twelve minutes into the second half Wilson missed a great chance to equalise as Gordon found him in the box but after taking one touch to steady himself he then prodded a shot at the outstretched Kobel who produced a fine save.
Sandro Tonali then made an appearance as a second-half substitute amid speculation he could be handed a lengthy ban for alleged breaches of betting rules.
Fellow substitute Jacob Murphy, though, lasted just three-and-a-half minutes as he was forced to depart with a shoulder injury.
Newcastle pushed for a leveller and came close twice as Wilson headed an 87th-minute free-kick against the bar and Gordon hit the same part of the woodwork in the final minute of stoppage time with a deflected shot.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe speaking to TNT Sports:
"It was a blow to lose (Alexander) Isak, it's another difficult thing to take from tonight because we've got a small squad as it is and lost Jacob (Murphy) too.
"With all the big games we've got coming up, it's probably the most disappointing thing from tonight.
"It looks like a re-occurrence of Alexander's groin problem, it won't be serious but it's bad enough to keep him out and that's a big blow for a player of his quality.
"Jacob's looks quite serious, a potential dislocation of his shoulder."
Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic speaking to TNT Sports:
"It wasn't a perfect game plan but a perfect result. We played a perfect first half and showed fantastic fight in the second.
"We deserved to win with the first half, and we're really happy.
"As a manager, I don't like an exciting group, but when we saw the draw we knew it would be a tough fight until the end - and we're halfway through now.
"Everything is quite open. We'll have a new opportunity to find out how far we can go in a couple of weeks."
November 7: Borussia Dortmund (A) - kick-off 5.45pm
November 28: PSG (A) - kick-off 8pm
December 13: AC Milan (H) - kick-off 8pm
Newcastle are back in Premier League action on Saturday when they travel to Wolves, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 5.30pm.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund travel to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Sunday; kick-off 2.30pm.
