Newcastle 1-2 Barcelona: Buoyant Magpies sunk by stunning Rashford brace | OneFootball

Barcelona won 2-1 in a pulsating Champions League tie against Newcastle, courtesy of a masterful performance by Marcus Rashford.

The Man United loanee put the visitors ahead in the 58th minute with a powerful header, before smashing a phenomenal shot into the top left with under half an hour remaining.

Anthony Gordon pulled one back in the first minute of added time, but it was too little too late as his side fell to two goals in nine brutal second-half minutes.

As It Happened

Barcelona had a favourable record against Newcastle, winning three of their past four meetings, but Newcastle committed to pressing their opponents high up the pitch and looked more likely to draw first blood.

The first of several nice passes from Trippier to Elanga had them breaking away on the right, yet Gordon swung and missed the ball inside the penalty area.

Hansi Flick’s men were then relieved to see Harvey Barnes flagged offside after Bruno Guimaraes released him through the middle.

It took 17 minutes for Barcelona to threaten the Newcastle penalty area as Nick Pope just about beat Robert Lewandowski to the ball, punching Raphiniha’s looping cross clear.

Bruno Guimarães was involved in yet another attack inside 24 minutes, deftly stabbing a pass through to Elanga. Barnes latched onto another good cross and his effort back across goal was batted away from García.

Raphiniha, who notched 21 goal involvements in the Champions League last season, would have another opportunity from 6 yards out minutes later, meeting a high cross clipped in from the right only to mistime the volley.

Despite the level score, Newcastle edged the first half in terms of chances but were punished for their profligacy in the 58th minute as Marcus Rashford met Jules Koundé’s cross from the right with a powerful header to mark his return to England with a goal.

This marked Barcelona’s first goal scored on the European stage by an Englishman since Gary Lineker.

Sandro Tonali attempted to respond promptly, but his effort from 25 yards out was straight at García who made a routine save.

Any hope of seizing back momentum was quashed by Rashford, his confidence now effervescent, as he picked up a short clearance from Dan Burn and unleashed a rasping shot off of the underside of the bar and into the top left corner.

Rashford was at the centre of it all for Barcelona, switching the play brilliantly with his first touch to Raphinha who cut inside from the right wing and fired just wide of the bottom left, approaching the final quarter of an hour.

Eddie Howe raised eyebrows with four changes at once, notably deciding to take off the lively Elanga, yet Josh Murphy repaid his manager’s faith by picking out Gordon from the right who coolly slotted the shot home.

Tonali hit a clean long-range strike after Barcelona cleared a free kick in the final minute, but it was much the same as his attempt earlier in the half and the full-time whistle would signal a defeat for Newcastle seconds later.

The Marcus Rashford show

It truly was a stunning Rashford brace, marking his first two goals for Barcelona since signing on loan for Manchester United. Barcelona needed a moment of brilliance to see themselves over the line, and received two instead.

Rashford struggled for minutes under Ruben Amorim, yet demonstrated his tenacity of old with a bullet header inside the box before a brilliant effort from distance.

This will likely leave some of those affiliated with Manchester United scratching their heads as to why he was let go in the first place.

Will Manchester United look to hit the restart button on their relationship with the England international, or will Barcelona be compelled to make an offer they couldn’t refuse? If he keeps up this kind of form,

Newcastle left frustrated with defeat

The home side can take away many positives from their first half performance against a side that has won the Champions League five times.

They flew out of the blocks and looked to spare Barcelona no time on the ball, yet a succession of missed chances will always be punished at the top level eventually – whether their opponents wholly merit their victory or not.

Bruno Guimarães showed great balance and vision in the middle of the park, setting numerous moves in motion, and both Woltemade and Murphy looked sharp off the bench.

Anthony Elanga may have been disappointed not to be able to contribute further after a tireless performance in the first half, as Newcastle weren’t nearly as clinal as Rashford in front of goal.

The lineups

NEW: Pope; Livramento, Burn, Schar, Trippier; Joelinton, Tonali, Guimarães; Barnes, Elanga, Gordon