Sandro Tonali’s stunning strike keeps Newcastle in Champions League hunt
Sandro Tonali blasted Newcastle firmly into the race for Champions League qualification with a stunning strike to seal a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brentford.
On a night when Alexander Isak became the first man to score 20 Premier League goals for the Magpies in consecutive seasons, it was Italy international Tonali, who found the back of the Мрежа два пъти против пчелите в петия кръг на Купата на Карабао, който сграбчи заглавията с великолепен победител на 16 минути от времето.
Исак даде на домакините, играейки за първи път от последната им победа на Carabao Cup над Ливърпул, преднина в прекъсване на първото полувреме с 24-ия гол на сезонния сезон и 20-та в лигата. Преди Тонали да възпламени парка на Сейнт Джеймс и да облекчи страната си на пето място с игра в ръка на тимовете над тях.
Исак трябваше да вкара в границите на две минути, само че погледна глава на Бринт, с цел да попречи на Пъс. caught out with 22 minutes gone when Jacob Murphy slid Isak in and he stepped outside defender Nathan Collins before blasting a foot over Mark Flekken’s crossbar.
Harvey Barnes and Tonali both saw shots blocked in quick succession as the home side turned the screw, but Fabian Schar had to put his body on the line to prevent Schade’s 30th-minute drive from calling Nick Pope into action for the first time.
Barnes had the ball in the net in stoppage time after Isak had left Ethan Pinnock and Nathan Collins behind with a mazy run, but tried to be too clever and his team-mate had run offside.
However, the Sweden international made amends within seconds, arriving at the far post to tap home Murphy’s cross after Mbeumo had slipped in front of him at the end of a move which had started with Pope.
Newcastle picked up where they had left off after the restart, but with Mbeumo’s invention testing the Magpies, their lead rarely looked comfortable.
Murphy and Barnes both should have extended their advantage after the former had caught Keane Lewis-Potter in possession, but it evaporated with 66 minutes gone when, after Pope had brought Yoane Wissa down as they competed for a ball lofted into the penalty area, Mbeumo calmly converted to level.
Brentford should have been ahead within two minutes when Pinnock rose unopposed to meet Schade’s cross, but saw his header come back off a post.
It was left to Tonali to win it in style with a remarkable 74th-minute strike from an unlikely angle, which caught out Mark Flekken at his near post and sent the home fans among a crowd of 52,021 into raptures.
Substitute Callum Wilson and Barnes both saw late attempts deflected wide, but Mikkel Damsgaard skied his stoppage-time effort over to the relief of the locals.
