Newcastle took an early lead through Alexander Isak but faced intense pressure from PSG in the second half. PSG’s Kylian Mbappé converted a controversial penalty in the dying moments of the match, denying Newcastle a crucial victory. The result leaves Newcastle still in contention to progress to the knockout rounds, with their fate depending on the final group stage match against Milan.
Key Points:
- Newcastle, making their return to the Champions League after a 20-year absence, aimed to control their destiny in the “Group of Death.”
- Despite facing a selection crisis with multiple senior players unavailable, manager Eddie Howe relied on the same 11 starters throughout the entire game.
- Newcastle’s Alexander Isak capitalized on a Gianluigi Donnarumma handling error to score in the first half.
- In the second half, PSG mounted a sustained offensive, putting Newcastle under pressure.
- The home crowd was frustrated by several PSG penalty appeals, with some PSG players receiving bookings for protests.
- PSG’s late equalizer came via a controversial VAR-awarded penalty when the ball struck Tino Livramento’s arm.
- Kylian Mbappé converted the penalty to salvage a draw for PSG.
Newcastle’s spirited performance earned them a crucial draw against PSG in the Champions League, but a late penalty denied them a victory that would have given them more control over their knockout stage destiny. The team now faces a must-win match against Milan in their final group stage fixture to advance in the competition.
