United lift first trophy of the season – Newcastle 1 Brest 0 and NUFC are Sela Cup champions!

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The Mag

·10 août 2024

United lift first trophy of the season – Newcastle 1 Brest 0 and NUFC are Sela Cup champions!

Eddie Howe naming a completely different team (see below) to play Brest, compared to the side that started and beat Girona 4-0 on Friday night.

A 4pm kick-off at St James’ Park this Saturday afternoon the final pre-season friendly.

Vidéos OneFootball

Newcastle United having played five friendlies so far. A 3-1 win over SpVgg Unterhaching in a behind-closed-doors match at the Adidas HQ training facility in Germany, a 2-0 victory at Hull then followed, before a trip to Japan brought a 4-1 win over Urawa Red Diamonds and a 2-0 defeat to Yokohama F Marinos. Then on Friday night, Newcastle demolishing Girona in the opening half. Going 3-0 up on 16 minutes and 4-0 by the break, despite Alexander Isak failing with a penalty!

Like Girona, Brest finished third in their domestic league last season and will be playing Champions League football this coming season. However, unlike Girona who were playing consecutive days like Newcastle, the Spanish side at Bournemouth today, Brest having had a free week ahead of this Newcastle friendly and then a full free week following it, before they start their Ligue 1 campaign next Saturday at home to Marseille.

The opening half was very competitive, with Martin Dubravka making a few smart saves, although United worthy of their one goal lead at half-time.

On 15 minutes an excellent Lloyd Kelly ball from deep, set Harvey Barnes away. The winger cut in from the left past one defender, then past another, before drilling the ball into the far right corner, a trademark classic Harvey Barnes to put United 1-0 up at half-time. So far, so good.

On his debut, Will Osula thinking he had scored, Lloyd Kelly playing a pass to Harvey Barnes and his clever ball over the top found Osula, whose pace took him away from the Brest defence and a cool finish reminiscent of a certain Alexander Isak found the far right bottom corner. However, a very dubious flag going up for offside to rule the celebrations.

Half-time score in today’s friendly – Newcastle 1 Brest 0. United wearing their third strip today.

.@harveybarnes97 on target at St. James' Park! 🏹
– samedi 10 août 2024

The second-half another competitive affair as clearly Brest hadn’t come to simply roll over, proving far more of a challenge than Girona. With this the only friendly in their final two weeks of preparation for the French league starting, maybe no surprise. Last weekend Brest had drawn 2-2 away at Juventus, so not a bad test for NUFC.

The referee absolutely woeful today, seemingly on a mission to try and not book any of the visiting players, no matter how ‘competitive’ they got. Last night was the Premier League’s very best, Michael Oliver. Today it is Tony Harrington, the man who was the fourth official on that infamous night against Burton at St James’ Park, when he and the other three match officials didn’t know the most basic of rules. Matt Ritchie scoring a penalty but Dwight Gayle having encroached into the box, instead of ordering the penalty retaken, Burton getting a free-kick!

Anyway, nowhere near as much goalmouth action as the Girona match but this was a valuable workout.

Vlachodimos making a couple of decent saves to ensure NUFC kept a clean sheet in both friendlies at St James’ Park.

Trippier getting 69 minutes into his legs, whilst Osula can be well happy with his first appearance. He might be raw but clearly has ability and pace.

Schar, Willock, Kelly, Bruno and matchwinner Barnes will all be in Eddie Howe’s thoughts as well ahead of Southampton next Saturday.

Pre-season has been complicated by late returns of players and those recovering from injury. However, this double-header at home, has certainly seen things looking as though they are coming more together, with Eddie Howe looking to have some positive decisions to make when choosing his starting eleven next Saturday, plus he’ll have some very good options on the bench.

The only negative was Fabian Schar getting a knock late on and subbed, here’s hoping only a precaution.

Newcastle United also pick up their first ‘trophy’ of the season, arise the Sela Cup heroes!

Final scoreline:

Newcastle 1 Brest 0

Newcastle United team v Brest:

Dubravka (Vlachodimos 46), Trippier (Ashby 69), Schar (Stanton 83), Kelly, Lewis, Bruno, Willock (Munda 88), Harrison (Sanusi), Almiron, Barnes, Osula (Hernes 69)

Unused Subs:

Gillespie, Heffernan, Emerson, Shahar

Newcastle United schedule to end of October 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 2 Newcastle 0

Friday 9 August 2024 – Newcastle 4 Girona 0

Saturday 10 August 2024 – Newcastle 1 Brest 0

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