There’s something about Newcastle taking the lead that seems to trigger an internal panic.
Different stadium, different opposition, different competition… and yet the same uneasy pattern unfolds.
Give them an advantage and suddenly it’s as if they’re trying to hold on to steam with their bare hands.
For a team with European ambitions, closing out games shouldn’t feel like an extreme sport. But here we are again.
Late Heartbreak Strikes Yet Again
Just when it looked like they’d dragged themselves into a strong Champions League position, everything slipped in the final minutes.
With the clock almost done, Sandro Tonali let Alejandro Grimaldo drift away from him, and the Leverkusen man tucked a composed finish under Aaron Ramsdale.
For Eddie Howe, the frustration was obvious.
His team had clawed their way back from a deficit and were minutes away from making the knockout stage all but inevitable.
Now? They’ll have to grind out at least one more point from meetings with PSV and PSG.
Howe Voices His Irritation
“We’re doing this to ourselves,” Howe admitted afterwards, still sounding like a man replaying those final seconds in his head.
He wasn’t wrong.
Newcastle had edged ahead, should have seen it through, and even came centimetres from widening the gap to 3–1 before it all unraveled.
The second half was miles better than the first, but crucial moments continue to betray them.
Leverkusen’s Blunder Evens Things Up
The irony is that Newcastle nearly benefitted from the same type of shakiness that cost them in Marseille.
Instead of a calamitous rush from Nick Pope, it was Leverkusen’s Mark Flekken who provided the gift this time.
Nick Woltemade had been pressing without success for most of the match, but Flekken seemed convinced he had all the time in the world to pick a pass.
He didn’t. Woltemade robbed him, Flekken panicked, and Newcastle won a penalty.
Anthony Gordon stepped up and tucked away his third spot-kick in as many games.
It rattled Leverkusen exactly the way Marseille’s goalkeeping error rattled Newcastle two weeks ago.
Football has a funny way of mirroring itself.
Miley’s Moment, and a Much Better Second Half
Once level, Newcastle looked like they’d figured things out.
Gordon turned provider for the lively Lewis Miley, whose header in the 74th minute put the visitors in front.
It was fully deserved—not just the goal, but the impact the teenager had from the moment he came on.
Both Gordon and Jacob Murphy rattled the woodwork, and for a stretch Newcastle looked like the only side with real momentum.
But momentum doesn’t matter much if you can’t finish the job.
A Tough Night for Newcastle’s German Duo
All eyes had been on Newcastle’s two German internationals, Woltemade and Malick Thiaw. It wasn’t the homecoming either man wanted.
Woltemade hardly touched the ball before the break, and when he did, things didn’t get better.
Thiaw struggled with his positioning throughout, including a clumsy clip on Patrick Schick that could easily have produced more costly consequences.
They weren’t alone in their struggles, but their names had been underlined before kickoff—and the night won’t be one they look back on fondly.
Sloppy at Set Pieces Once More
The opener Newcastle conceded came from another frustratingly familiar source: a set piece.
Despite hiring a specialist coach to sharpen both attacking and defensive set plays, things have clearly slipped rather than improved.
Aleix García delivered a deep corner, Robert Andrich rose to meet it, and a deflection off Bruno Guimaraes carried the ball into the net.
Leverkusen had been threatening already, and Newcastle practically opened the door for them.
Even Jarell Quansah, of all people, sauntered into the box unchecked just before halftime—another snapshot of how off-tempo the visitors were during the opening 45 minutes.
A Team Still Searching for Rhythm
Howe had put out a strong lineup hoping to build some rhythm ahead of Sunday’s derby with Sunderland.
The first half certainly didn’t offer that, though the second half showed promise—until the late sting undid the evening.
Some nights you come away feeling like a team is learning.
This one felt more like they’re stuck relearning the same lesson.
Match Summary
Leverkusen (3-5-2): Flekken 4.5; Quansah 7, Andrich 6.5, Tapsoba 6.5; Arthur 5.5, Maza 7, García 7, Grimaldo 7; Tillman 6, Schick 6 (Kofane 46, 6), Poku 7
Manager: Rogier Meijer (assistant) 6
Newcastle (4-3-3): Ramsdale 6; Livramento 6, Thiaw 5, Burn 6, Hall 6; Tonali 5, Guimaraes 6, Joelinton 5 (Miley 60, 7); Barnes 5.5, Woltemade 6, Gordon 7.5
Manager: Eddie Howe 6
Referee: S. Gozubuyuk (NED) 7
Where Does Newcastle Go From Here?
They’re still in a good position to qualify.
They’ve shown they can rally, they can respond, and they can play with much more purpose when the mood shifts.
But if closing out games keeps haunting them, that knockout stage might feel a lot further away than it should.
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