Newcastle United's hopes of a crucial Champions League away win were dashed in dramatic fashion as Alex Grimaldo's late strike secured a 2-2 draw for Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena on Wednesday.
Dramatic Finish in Germany
The Bundesliga side canceled out Newcastle's second-half resurgence when Grimaldo fired past Aaron Ramsdale with just two minutes of regular time remaining. The result extends Newcastle's concerning trend of conceding late goals across competitions this season.
Historic Moment for Youngster
Newcastle had appeared destined for victory after 19-year-old Lewis Miley headed home in the 74th minute to become the club's youngest-ever Champions League goalscorer. The teenager's landmark goal came after Anthony Gordon had equalized from the penalty spot early in the second half.
"It's happened too many times to be honest," Gordon told TNT Sports regarding Newcastle's late concessions. "I don't know if it's fatigue... but I think it all comes back to mentality."
Key Match Statistics
- Newcastle have now dropped 11 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season
- The Magpies rank second among English clubs for late goals conceded (7 in final 5 minutes)
- Leverkusen maintained their unbeaten home record in European competitions
Manager Reactions
Eddie Howe expressed frustration with his team's inability to close out the game: "I thought the third goal was coming... It was tough for us again. We haven't defended the two goals well enough today."
Newcastle now face critical upcoming fixtures against PSV Eindhoven and Paris Saint-Germain as they chase progression in Europe's elite competition.
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