FA Cup: Newcastle United 1 (Isak 22 pen) Brighton 2 (Minteh 44, Welbeck 114)
When the dust finally settled on a tie featuring two red cards and an endless stream of blink and you’ll miss it drama crowned by Danny Welbeck’s extra-time winner, Brighton were in the quarter-finals.
Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, meanwhile, was out of this month’s Carabao Cup final after being shown a straight red card deep in a second half that, just to exacerbate Eddie Howe’s worries, also saw Alexander Isak’s late withdrawal, accompanied by a physiotherapist.
As Newcastle’s manager assessed the damage his counterpart, Fabian Hürzeler celebrated with abandon, his smile as wide as the Tyne.
Almost two hours earlier Hürzeler frowned as, Isak, who had recovered from a groin strain in time to start, did not take long to remind Brighton of his gangling yet supremely graceful presence.
When Harvey Barnes did well to loft a cross across the face of goal, Isak saw his initial header blocked by Adam Webster. Although the Sweden striker could merely blaze the rebound over the bar he had emphasised his game-changing potential.
Brighton’s counter-attacking ability can prove similarly transformative and Tariq Lamptey, in particular, used his change of pace to good effect as he initiated a series of visiting breaks from right-back. Lamptey’s duel with Gordon would become one of the more engrossing subplots. Who could have guessed that both players would ultimately be sent off?
With much of their passing far too slapdash for Howe’s liking, Newcastle struggled to control an extremely open tie and could not quite believable their luck when Yankuba Minteh panicked before flinging himself into a late challenge and needlessly bringing Tino Livramento down in the area.
Isak stepped up to the penalty spot and despite Bart Verbruggen diving the right way, the Swede’s kick was far too good for Hürzeler’s goalkeeper to keep out as it rose into the top corner.
It was Isak’s 22nd goal of the season and, shortly afterwards, he thought he had increased that tally only for his fine right footed finish to be correctly disallowed for a tight offside.
In marked contrast Minteh remained on the right side of the law as he drew Brighton level. The 20-year-old winger, sold, reluctantly, by Newcastle, to Brighton last summer in order to meeting Premier League spending rules, had perhaps being trying too hard when he conceded the penalty but now he showed off some serious poise under pressure.
Following a slick, smart, exchange of passes with João Pedro, Minteh glided beyond Fabian Schär. By way of further highlighting the reason why Howe was so disappointed to lose him for £30 million he unleashed a composed shot that was helped on it’s way beyond the recalled Martin Dubravka by a deflection off Kieran Trippier as the right-back slid in with a forlorn attempt at a goal preventing interception.
Minteh who, having spent last season on loan at Feyenoord, never played in Newcastle’s first team, refrained from celebrating in front of the Gallowgate End.
As the second half unravelled and Carlos Baleba showed off his bite in the visiting midfield Brighton’s desire to win the club’s first major piece of silverware seemed increasingly apparent.
Although Isak continued to menace, at the other end Dubravka was forced to save well to deny João Pedro as Newcastle’s sometimes laissez-faire approach to possession retention suggested they were a little distracted by their impending Wembley date with Liverpool in this month’s Carabao Cup final.
Despite Livramento enjoying some good moments out of position at left-back, Newcastle were missing the injured Lewis Hall. The latter is nursing an ankle injury and, with a visit to a specialist booked next week, his chances of taking Mohamed Salah on at Wembley appear uncertain.
As play here continued to see-saw from end-to-end a quarter-final place remained tantalisingly open, Gordon’s growing frustration prefaced the England winger’s collection of that straight red card that dictates he must watch the final from the stands.
Matters came to a head when Gordon felt he should have been awarded a penalty after some shirt tugging on Brajan Gruda’s part and proceeded to take his anger out on Jan Paul van Hecke, forcibly shoving the defender in the back of the head with both hands as the pair tussled for possession. Howe did not look at Gordon as he trudged off. – Guardian
