If Newcastle manage to qualify for the Champions League they can look back on his like the night they did it.
The visitors ended Nottingham Forest’s nine home games unbeaten in the league when Alexander Isak converted an injury-time penalty – his second goal of the night – to bring Eddie Howe’s team within a point of fourth-placed Tottenham.
It was a ridiculous handball from Moussa Niakhate that gave Newcastle their chance and Isak, who had earlier equalized from Emmanuel Dennis’ opener, scored the penalty after persuading Kieran Trippier to give him the ball. He found the net with the class to be expected from a player costing £60m.
After their first defeat here since September, Forest are just two points above the last three and if they can’t improve on their away form they’ll be in big trouble.
After a sluggish start to 2023, Newcastle looked like they used to in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Wolves and started this year with plenty of composure.
Alexander Isak’s injury-time penalty gave Newcastle a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest
Moussa Niakhate’s ridiculous handball gave the Magpies a chance to win it via penalty
Emmanuel Dennis dismissed the hosts in the 26th minute and took advantage of Sven Botman’s mistake
MATCH FACTS
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Navas 7; Aurier 5, Felipe 8, Niakhate 6, Lodi 6; Yates 7 (Freuler 58, 6), Shelvey 6; Johnson 5, Gibbs White 6, Dennis 7 (Williams 79); Yew 6 (Surridge 79). Unused substitutes: Hennessey, Worrall, Colback, Toffolo, Danilo, Scarpa.
scorers: Dennis 26
Booked: Dennis, Gibbs-White
Manager: Steve Cooper6
Newcastle (4-3-3): Pope 6; Trippier 6, Shar 6:5, Botman 5:5, Brand 7; Longstaff 6.5, Guimaraes 7.5, Willock 7; Murphy 8 (Ritchie 84), Isak 8:5, Saint-Maximin 5 (Anderson 46, 7:5). Unused substitutes: Dubravka, Dummett, Lascelles, Wilson, Lewis, Targett, Manquillo.
scorers: Isak 45+2
Booked: Burn
Manager: Eddie Howe 7
referee: Paul Tierney6
participation: 29,362
Wald was ripped open on the left in the sixth minute when Kieran Trippier released Jacob Murphy. The first cross was perfectly weighted for attacking Joe Willock, whose finish didn’t match his run from midfield as he fired wide from near the penalty spot.
Shortly thereafter, there was another tie for the home side when Trippier, prominent in the early stages, executed a clever free-kick at Alexander Isak. The Swede’s shot was weak but distractions from Brennan Johnson and Serge Aurier didn’t give Renan Lodi time to react. The ball bounced off the Brazilian’s knee and hit the crossbar.
Moments later, Newcastle called for a penalty when Bruno Guimaraes fell under Dennis’ challenge, while Ryan Yates and Willock engaged in an ongoing feud, both lucky enough to avoid a booking.
Dennis wasn’t so lucky in the 22nd minute when he robd Trippier but received a yellow card as referee Paul Tierney deemed his challenge dangerous.
Forest was furious but they were leading four minutes later. Sven Botman’s back pass to Nick Pope was embezzled and after Dennis grabbed the ball the chance seemed momentarily gone. The Nigerian knew otherwise, however, as he produced a brilliant chip from a tight angle that sailed into the top corner.
Dan Burn was soon booked for a fierce challenge against Yates and was thereafter baited by the home crowd. Sean Longstaff almost silenced them when he slammed into the woodwork as the second player. Murphy did the damage again, passing Lodi and finding Longstaff, whose 20-yard attempt clipped Felipe and came back off the pole.
The forward deftly took the ball around Nick Pope before slipping it past the keeper
Isak leveled the game for Newcastle with a superb volley finish just before half-time
Newcastle eventually found the equalizer they deserved with Willock at center stage. The midfielder’s cross escaped Aurier’s vault and was volleyed by Isak. It was an unorthodox finish – possibly more shin than boot – for his second in as many games.
Newcastle picked up where they left off in the second half when Elliot Anderson, who came on for Alain Saint-Maximin at half-time, was immediately involved. First he gave Felipe a huge scare by hitting him for a long punt down field before eliciting a brilliant stop from Keylor Navas with a volley from Murphy’s cross.
Forest suffered a setback when Yates, who had been tigerish in midfield, was substituted off with an injury just before the hour mark and replaced by Remo Freuler. But their luck was soon after when Muprhy played in Longstaff only for the midfielder to lose his footing in the crucial second. Newcastle drew confidence from this and Guimaraes forced Navas to relinquish his surging drive. Forest nervously defended the corner only for Anderson to fire high and wide from the edge of the box.
Guimaraes had made a quiet start to the game but his influence was growing by the second and he played a part in the move that Newcastle believed had put them ahead.
Elliot Anderson, who came on as a second-half substitute, felt he had scored his first senior goal for Newcastle
But his header was ruled offside after a rigorous VAR check, keeping the score at 1-1 levels
The Brazilian’s pass found Isak and when Moussa Niakhate failed to clear Isak played a fabulous ball at the far post where Anderson passed Aurier and passed Navas.
Newcastle bench cheered – but not for long. After a long delay, the goal was disallowed because Isak’s original cross ricocheted off to Longstaff, who was ruled offside. Tierney checked the screen to make sure, and the decision not to allow the goal was met with a huge roar.
Newcastle kept pushing for Murphy, who missed a volley from a promising position.
Aurier still had time to hack off the line and Felipe to produce another brilliant block before Pope saved Newcastle by saving Johnson’s angled try with his feet after a rare stoppage. But then Niakhate signed an amazing Howler and Newcastle took advantage. The bank’s celebrations showed how important they felt it was.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11874065/Alexander-Isaks-stoppage-time-penalty-hands-Newcastle-crucial-2-1-win-Nottingham-Forest.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 Alexander Isak’s injury-time penalty gave Newcastle a crucial 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest
