Urawa Red Diamonds 1 Newcastle 4 – Superb from Newcastle United as pre-season on the rise | OneFootball

Urawa Red Diamonds 1 Newcastle 4 – Wednesday 31 July 2024 (7.30pm kick-off local time – 11.30am in the UK)

Eddie Howe still without many of his first team squad and what a performance!

Especially when you take into account the heat and humidity today’s match was played in.

United playing their second (public) pre-season friendly. It ended Newcastle 3 SpVgg Unterhaching 1 eleven days ago in Germany, in a behind closed doors kick about at the Adidas HQ training facility. Then Eddie Howe’s players winning 2-0 at Hull on Saturday in front of 4,500+ travelling NUFC fans.

A clear increase in the quality of performances as more players become available and the squad as a whole increase fitness levels.

Urawa Red Diamonds are in the middle of their league season as well, this runs from February to December this year.

A please aspect of the pre-season so far, including today…

Is how from the first whistle Newcastle United are looking to get on the attack.

Only around 100 seconds on the clock as Alexander Isak made it three scoring friendlies in a row. Clever work from Barnes and Willock set the Sweden international away and after cutting through the Japanese side’s defence, he got a little lucky with how the ball fell for him after deflecting off a defender but he then smashed it past the keeper from the edge of the box.

Barnes looking good and almost scored himself, only for a defender to clear his goalbound effort with the keeper nowhere.

On 23 minutes a smart team goal had the home side level, a cutback from Newcastle’s right side giving Pope no chance as the Urawa Red Diamonds striker finished from five yards out.

Barnes then seeing another goalbound effort deflected onto the woodwork before bouncing to safety.

With 29 minutes on the clock it looked like the game had been totally turned on its head though. An alleged foul from Livramento was clearly outside the penalty area but the referee giving a spot-kick.

Nick Pope producing a magnificent save as he threw himself to his right.

An entertaining game then saw Newcastle take the lead for a second time just before the break, more great work from Joe Willock as he caught an opponent in possession just inside their half. He sprinted towards the box and after cleverly skipping past one challenge, drew the defender before putting in Murphy for a cool right foot finish. Like Isak, that is three scoring friendlies in a row for Jacob Murphy.

When the game restarted, the subs began to be made for Newcastle United in tough heat and humidity. However, this did nothing to stop the direction of travel.

Only a minute into the second 45 and neat work from Isak around the edge of the box, a smart pass from Jamie Miley, then Murphy cutting in from the right and a lovely left foot low curling finish into the bottom corner, from just outside the box. Four goals in three pre-season games for him now.

With 58 minutes on the clock it became 4-1, this time an assist from Murphy. He came in from the right and laid it off to Lewis Hall in a central area, his left foot strike from just under 30 yards out getting a deflection that ensured it beat the keeper.

A procession of subs affected the flow of the last half hour and of course the conditions playing a big part. In the end only Krafth, Hall and Joelinton playing the full match, Ruddy the only unused sub. Credit to the young players who came off the bench though, as they didn’t give the home side any encouragement to get back into the game.

A great start to the friendlies in Japan, now we look forward to Yokohama F Marinos on Saturday, a 7pm kick-off local time and 11am back in the UK.

Final scoreline:

Urawa Red Diamonds 1 Newcastle 4

Newcastle team v Urawa Red Diamonds:

Nick Pope (Odysseas Vlachodimos 59), Tino Livramento (Alfie Harrison 67), Emil Krafth, Dan Burn (Cathal Heffernan 75), Lewis Hall, Joe Willock (Jamie Miley 46), Sean Longstaff (Miguel Almiron 46), Jacob Murphy (Jay Turner-Cooke 67), Joelinton, Harvey Barnes (Ben Parkinson 59), Alexander Isak (Trevan Sanusi 59)

Unused subs:

John Ruddy

Newcastle United schedule to end of September 2024:

Saturday 20 July 2024 – Newcastle 3 SpVgg Unterhaching 1

Saturday 27 July 2024 – Hull 0 Newcastle 2

Wednesday 31 July 2024 – Urawa Red Diamonds 1 Newcastle 4

Saturday 3 August 2024 – Yokohama F Marinos v Newcastle United friendly at the National Stadium in Toyko.

Friday 9 August 2024 – Newcastle United v Girona FC friendly 7.30pm kick-off (SJP Sela weekend)

Saturday 10 August 2024 – Newcastle United v Stade Brestois 4pm kick-off (SJP Sela weekend)

Wednesday 14 August 2024 – The Carabao Cup second round draw will be made around 10pm.

Saturday 17 August 2024 – Newcastle v Southampton (3pm)

Sunday 25 August 2024 – Bournemouth v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Week commencing Monday 26 August 2024 – Carabao Cup round two matches will be played

Friday 30 August 2024 – Summer transfer window closes at 11pm.

Sunday 1 September 2024 – Newcastle v Tottenham (1.30pm) Sky Sports

(The first international break of the season)

Sunday 15 September 2024 – Wolves v Newcastle (4.30 pm) Sky Sports

Weeks commencing Monday 16 September AND Monday 23 September – Carabao Cup round three (This round split over two midweeks)

Saturday 21 September 2024 – Fulham v Newcastle (3 pm)

Weeks commencing Monday 16 September AND Monday 23 September – Carabao Cup round three (This round split over two midweeks)

Saturday 28 September 2024 – Newcastle v Man City (12.30 pm) TNT Sports