Newcastle United were seconds away from a famous Champions League victory, but things took a different turn as Lamine Yamal stepped up and changed everything.
The penalty kick was gotten from a foul when Malick Thiaw clipped the supporting leg of Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo, who made a weaving run into the Newcastle penalty area. The referee, who immediately pointed to the penalty spot, made the Spanish giants gain relief.
Yamal confidently took the bold kick as he sidelined the heavy pressure of the noise and booing of the Newcastle United fans. The teenager kept him calm as he sent Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way to secure a point for the Catalan club.
The first round of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 ended in a 1-1 draw, with both goals coming late in a contest that kept fans gripped to the very last second.
The English side began the match with high intensity, dedicated and creating dangerous opportunities and threats in the third half of the Spanish giants. Newcastle United looked sharp, physical, and well-organised from the first whistle to the final whistle.
Barcelona, who were initially expected to be winners of the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League since the very day of the draw, did not play at their best; the Spanish team lacked sharpness and accuracy in their passes, and their front players found little space to work with against a well-drilled Newcastle backline.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 86th minute when Harvey Barnes fired in a cross from Jacob Murphy to put the Magpies ahead; St James’ Park exploded. Fans inside the stadium jumped to their feet. For the next few minutes, it looked like Newcastle were heading for a famous win that would have put one foot in the quarter-final.
Football is a game full of roller coaster rides. Dani Olomo approached the penalty area, and in an attempt to get the ball, Malick Thiaw gave away a penalty kick to the Spanish giants. It was the 95th minute. It was the last kick of the match. And just like that, the night belonged not to Newcastle, but to the boy from Rocafonda.
The tie is now perfectly poised. One away goal for Barcelona means Newcastle must score at the Camp Nou to progress. The second leg will be played in Barcelona, where the noise of a packed Camp Nou will create a very different kind of pressure. Despite that body blow, next week’s second leg at the Camp Nou is very much alive.
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