Last gasp Yamal penalty denies Newcastle memorable Champions League victory | OneFootball

Eddie Howe had suggested this was the biggest game in the club’s history, but Lamine Yamal’s last-minute penalty ensured it was not as memorable as the Newcastle boss had hoped as his side drew 1-1 with Barcelona.

Harvey Barnes’ opener had sent Newcastle to the cusp of an iconic victory over the Spanish giants, only for Yamal to break Geordie hearts late on with his spot-kick.

An early surge of Newcastle pressure was eagerly welcomed by the some 50,000 Tyneside faithful inside St. James’ Park, with the hosts winning three corners inside the opening six minutes. Despite no breakthrough arriving from these set pieces, the visiting La Liga champions – who are expected to go far in this competition – were noticeably on the back foot up against a Newcastle side willed on by the twelfth man of St. James’ Park.

Though La Blaugrana’s state of unnerve was momentary, with the visitors soon settling into a spell of possession characteristic of a Flick side. Yet the lion’s share of the ball gave the visiting fans little to cheer about, as the hosts continued to look the far more threatening side to open the scoring, frequently exploiting the speed of Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga on the flanks and the space the visitors were affording them.

But the search for the breakthrough continued to elude both sides, as the referee’s half-time whistle drew the curtain on an opening period which ultimately saw the fragility of the deadlock never truly threatened.

A tale of spurned chances characterised the opening period of the second half, as Elanga’s explosive sprints to get his side into dangerous positions were let down only by his delivery in the final third. The introduction of Anthony Gordon, Jacob Murphy and Tino Livramento in the 67th minute was met with renewed enthusiasm from the Tyneside faithful, even if Murphy’s first involvement arrived as a sky-high volley over the crossbar and into the Gallowgate moments later.

A string of Newcastle corners with ten minutes to play breathed new life into those in the stands, but appeared to have little effect on those on the pitch. Deep into the second half the deadlock remained all but unthreatened, as a second half as devoid of final-third quality as the first unfolded.

Newcastle are yet to draw 0-0 this season, though, and Harvey Barnes was in no mood to allow their Spanish opponents to alter this record. As Murphy’s cross sailed into the Barcelona penalty area, the Englishman stole away from his defender to meet the superb delivery. Unmarked, Barnes connected with Murphy’s cross and hammered his strike home to send St. James’ Park into raptures.

Newcastle were poised to take the all important one-goal lead to the Camp Nou bar a last-minute implosion, and a deserved one-goal lead at that. But to concede a penalty in the final minute of play could prove to be a huge blow, as the referee blew his whistle for a foul by Malick Thiaw on the quick-footed Dani Olmo.

Up stepped Lamine Yamal, who had experienced an uncharacteristically quiet night, to send Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way and restore parity.

All is still to play for at the Camp Nou next Wednesday, but Eddie Howe and Newcastle will feel as though a one-goal lead has been cruelly snatched from their jaws in the dying moments of a chaotic affair.