PSG held by resilient Newcastle as Champions League play-offs confirmed | OneFootball

Willock lifts Newcastle on dramatic PSG night

Newcastle United left Paris with their Champions League hopes alive and their belief restored, after a stirring comeback earned a draw against holders PSG at the Parc des Princes. It was not enough to secure automatic qualification for the last 16, but it was enough to remind Europe that Newcastle can still compete on the biggest stage.

Eddie Howe reshuffled his side, making five changes, and placed his trust in a squad that has struggled for consistency away from home. That faith was repaid by Joe Willock, who scored his first Champions League goal to cancel out Vitinha’s opener and swing momentum back towards Newcastle.

Both PSG and Newcastle now move into the play-offs, a reflection of a night that felt balanced between control and chaos, dominance and defiance.

Early drama sets tone in Paris

The opening minutes carried the weight of recent history between PSG and Newcastle. A VAR review saw referee Slavko Vincic point to the spot after the ball struck Lewis Miley’s hand in the area. Memories of a controversial penalty on Newcastle’s last visit to Paris came flooding back.

This time, though, the script changed. Nick Pope guessed correctly and saved Ousmane Dembele’s penalty with a strong left hand. The away end erupted, sensing a moment that could define the night.

PSG still found a way through. Vitinha was afforded too much space on the edge of the area, and he made Newcastle pay, drilling a low strike beyond Pope to give the French champions the lead.

For a period, PSG looked capable of stretching that advantage. Dembele tested Pope again, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s injury withdrawal did little to weaken the hosts, with Luis Enrique able to introduce Desire Doue from the bench.

Willock provides Newcastle lifeline

Newcastle, though, refused to fold. Their equaliser arrived in first-half stoppage time, born from persistence and a lapse in PSG’s set-piece defending. Willock ghosted into space and powered a header past Matvej Safonov, stunning the stadium and levelling the contest.

His celebration carried a message, dropping to his knees and putting a finger to his lips as whistles rang around him. It was a moment that captured both the emotion of the night and Newcastle’s growing defiance.

From that point, Newcastle looked a different side. They pressed with more conviction, broke with greater purpose, and showed the athleticism Howe had selected his team to deliver.

Second-half tension and missed chances

The second half became increasingly stretched, with chances at both ends. PSG threatened through Dembele and Bradley Barcola, both firing over from promising positions. Newcastle, meanwhile, began to believe they could take more than a point.

Safonov fumbled a Jacob Ramsey effort, then parried a fierce strike from Anthony Gordon. The best opportunity of all fell to Harvey Barnes late on. From close range, with the goal gaping, the substitute could only volley into the side netting, a miss that summed up how fine the margins were.

At the other end, Newcastle defended with courage. Sven Botman blocked Achraf Hakimi, and Lewis Hall threw himself in the way of a Doue effort, moments that underlined the collective commitment.

When the final whistle sounded, both PSG and Newcastle were left with a draw and a place in the play-offs. PSG finished one place above Howe’s side in 11th, but the sense from Newcastle’s perspective was one of momentum rather than regret.

The travelling supporters made their voices heard, singing “we love Newcastle, we do!” as the players approached. With a two-legged play-off now added to an already crowded calendar, Newcastle will face further tests. Yet if they carry the heart and resilience shown against PSG, progression to the last 16 feels possible.