Lotto Park had began to empty.
However these hoarse Newcastle United followers standing within the away finish didn’t need to go residence after watching the guests defeat Union Saint-Gilloise 4-0 in Brussels.
“That is one of the best journey I’ve ever been on,” the travelling help repeatedly sang at full-time.
Commercial
That they had simply seen their aspect file their largest Champions League win thanks to 2 penalties from Anthony Gordon and targets from Nick Woltemade and substitute Harvey Barnes.
Such a prospect as soon as felt unimaginable for Geordies when Newcastle have been combating relegation not so way back.
However Eddie Howe’s aspect have certified for the Champions League in two of the previous three seasons.
And this was an evening the place Howe’s gamers confirmed they belonged at Europe’s prime desk with an emphatic away win, the membership’s first within the competitors since 2003.
“They need to [believe] and there isn’t any motive why we won’t win video games at this degree residence and away,” Howe stated. “We’ve obtained the gamers and the squad to try this.
Commercial
“Possibly it’s important to do it to imagine it your self, however I am already there. I do know we will.”
Preparation pays off
Anthony Elanga joined Newcastle United from Nottingham Forest in the summertime [Getty Images]
The tone was set lengthy earlier than kick-off.
Howe has rotated his crew whereas combating on a number of fronts within the opening weeks of the season.
However it was fairly telling that the Newcastle head coach solely made two adjustments for this sport – and one was enforced after Tino Livramento suffered a knee harm.
The Premier League’s joint-lowest goalscorers wanted to catch hearth.
“There was a scarcity of fine soccer typically,” Gordon informed TNT Sports activities. “We’ve defended rather well, been organised, however have lacked that spark and creativity. We actually needed to place emphasis on getting that again tonight.”
Commercial
There was actually no probability of Newcastle underestimating Union because the guests seemed to bounce again from the weekend’s painful defeat towards Arsenal.
The Belgian champions could also be newcomers on this competitors, however they beat PSV of their first ever Champions League sport final month and had not misplaced any of their opening 9 top-flight fixtures.
Such has been Union’s progress in European competitions in recent times, they really have a considerably larger coefficient than Newcastle.
It was hardly a shock, then, that the guests left no stone unturned earlier than dealing with a aspect who had an additional day to get better and put together.
Commercial
In addition to personally reviewing his opponent, as at all times, Howe familiarised his aspect with their new environment by coaching at Lotto Park on the eve of the sport.
That didn’t go unnoticed by Union supervisor Sebastien Pocognoli.
“Possibly the opponent typically could be condescending, to look down on you,” he stated. “They did not. They paid us full respect. They performed a giant match with their abilities and qualities.
“They performed prime degree, all of the Newcastle gamers performed prime degree, so it reveals that that they had nice respect for us.”
‘We’re a progressive soccer crew’
Newcastle outscored their xG towards Union [BBC]
Union truly had as many photographs on track (six) as Newcastle, however the guests have been ruthless.
Commercial
Although Newcastle have been arising towards a again 5, they knew there could be area out extensive for the fast Anthony Elanga and Gordon – and so it proved.
Elanga, the participant of the match, had a hand in each of Newcastle’s opening targets.
It was Elanga who whipped a cross into the field within the build-up to Sandro Tonali’s shot taking a deflection off Woltemade for Newcastle’s first.
The winger then received the first-half penalty, which Gordon transformed for the guests’ second.
In addition to placing away one other spot-kick for Newcastle’s third aim, Gordon additionally received the ball again seconds earlier than substitute Barnes completed a medical breakaway aim late on.
Commercial
No marvel Howe felt like his aspect “might rating at any second”.
“We’re a progressive soccer crew,” the Newcastle head coach stated. “I do not need us to play unfavourable soccer or typically play an excessive amount of in our build-up part. That does not convey out one of the best in us.
“We have got very dynamic gamers and I need us to get them the ball as early as attainable. I need to assault, I need to rating and I need individuals who come to observe us to really feel there is a crew there that is attempting to make the sport in a constructive manner. I believed we noticed that right now – it was a return to our greatest model.”