Arsenal vs Newcastle: Magpies Secure 2-0 Win, Edge Closer to League Cup Final

Photo : AFP

Newcastle United earned a strong advantage in the League Cup semifinal by beating Arsenal 2-0 in the first leg. Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon scored the crucial goals for the Magpies.

The victory at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday puts Newcastle closer to reaching the final. The club has never won the League Cup and hasn’t celebrated a major trophy since 1969.

Alexander Isak showed why he is one of the most in-form forwards in England right now. He smashed in the first goal with a powerful strike and set up Gordon for the second.

Arsenal now faces a tough challenge in the second leg on February 5. To progress to the final, where either Tottenham or Liverpool will await, Arsenal needs a big comeback.

“This win is massive for us. It’s a great result, but this is just the first half of the battle,” said Isak after Newcastle’s seventh win in a row and their first at Emirates Stadium since 2010. “If we don’t go through, this result means nothing.”

Both teams fielded their best players, showing how important this tournament is for them. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has rebuilt the team into Premier League contenders, but his only trophy with the club was the FA Cup in 2020.

Arteta’s lineup included Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli, who all returned after the 1-1 draw against Brighton on Saturday. However, Arsenal lacked a striker with the sharp finishing ability of Isak, which proved to be the key difference.

Arsenal dominated possession and created more chances but failed to take them. Arteta was frustrated after the game.

“That’s where we lost the match—our missed chances. In every other way, we were the better team,” he said. “But I still believe in my team. We can turn this around.”

Martinelli came closest to scoring when he ran onto a pass from Leandro Trossard and hit the post.

Shortly after, Newcastle punished Arsenal’s missed chances. A long free-kick into the Arsenal box wasn’t cleared properly, and the ball fell to Isak. The Swedish striker struck it off the crossbar and into the net, scoring his 14th goal in 15 games. This was also his 50th goal for Newcastle, achieved quicker than club legend Alan Shearer.

Newcastle’s second goal came early in the second half. Isak’s clever play forced a save from Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, but Gordon pounced on the rebound and scored.

Arsenal had opportunities to cut the deficit. Havertz had a clear chance but missed with a poorly placed header.

In the final 20 minutes, Newcastle switched to a defensive setup to hold their lead. Manager Eddie Howe even replaced Isak and Gordon to focus on protecting their advantage.

Without Bukayo Saka, Arsenal struggled to find a way through Newcastle’s solid defense. The loss extends Arsenal’s wait for another trophy under Arteta.

Now, Newcastle heads into the second leg with confidence, knowing they are one step closer to ending their long wait for silverware.

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