In a Premier League football game filled with surprises, Newcastle made a stunning comeback against West Ham, clinching the match 4-3. Harvey Barnes was brought into the game later, and with his heroics, he led Newcastle to a glorious victory even when they were trailing by 2 goals.
Newcastle gained an early lead in the match with Alexander Isak scoring a penalty kick in the sixth minute. Nonetheless, the side later found themselves behind 3-1, only 13 minutes before the end whistle. Three West Ham players – Michail Anthony, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen – were to thank for the incredible push, leaving referee Rob Jones in a whirl of action.
Yet Newcastle rallied back, with Isak netting another penalty, followed by Barnes equalizing the score seven minutes prior to the final whistle. As the match neared its conclusion, Barnes once more showcased his talent, scoring a marvellous goal in the 90th minute, concluding the match in their favour 4-3. As a final twist, Anthony Gordon was shown the red card for committing a second bookable offence.
The victory was a sweet reward for manager Eddie Howe’s squad, which had been plagued by injuries, losing captain Jamaal Lascelles, Tino Livramento, and replacement player Miguel Almiron. The jaw-dropping game left West Ham’s manager, David Moyes, who also saw himself being booked, in utter disbelief.
Newcastle exhibited an excellent start to the match when Vladmir Coufal’s clumsy tackle on Gordon gave them a penalty opportunity. Despite a VAR consultation for an offside against Gordon, Isak expertly fooled goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, directing the ball straight into the net.
At 21 minutes, the game saw a change in momentum as West Ham found an opening, thanks to Lucas Paqueta spotting Antonio’s sprint and setting up a goal. However, Newcastle showed resilience, with Gordon grabbing an opportunity from Jacob Murphy’s cross, and Bruno Guimaraes nearly scoring during the first half’s extra time, only to be denied by the crossbar.
In an action-packed match, the Hammers took the lead in extra time’s 10th minute. Even though Schar was grounded, Bowen was swiftly given the ball by Paqueta through a quick free-kick, who then assisted Mohammed Kudus in striking a goal past Dubravka amidst vehement protests from the home team.
Lukasz Fabianski took Areola’s place ahead of the second half and oversaw his team widen their lead after only three minutes. This happened when, following Thomas Soucek’s interception of Murphy’s corner, Kudus sidestepped a diving Schar and passed the ball to Bowen who outran half the field to score against Dubravka, in spite of Gordon’s brave attempt to counter.
Fabianski had no trouble securing Guimaraes clipped shot while Isak and Sean Longstaff missed poorly, demonstrating the home team’s desperate need for a comeback, which Fabianski thwarted by foiling Barnes.
Nonetheless, after a VAR review of substitute Kalvin Phillips’ tackle on Gordon, Newcastle was given a second penalty. Isak tricked Fabianski and scored a mirrored penalty kick breathing hope into his team’s chances with only 13 minutes left on the clock.
Sweden’s international footballer set the stage for a tie six minutes later by passing the ball to Barnes who scored past Fabianski. The action culminated in the final minute of regular play when Barnes, following an assist from Gordon, secured another impressive goal against a despairing Fabianski. Gordon, who was sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct, was pivotal in this final effort.