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Newcastle Advances in Champions League Despite Defensive Lapses
24 Feb
Summary
- Newcastle United secured a last-16 spot in the Champions League.
- They defeated Qarabag 9-3 on aggregate over two legs.
- Defensive concerns remain despite the significant aggregate victory.
Newcastle United has successfully advanced to the knockout stages of the Champions League, securing their place in the last 16. The Magpies defeated Qarabag 3-2 in the second leg at St James' Park, cementing a dominant 9-3 aggregate victory over the two-legged tie.
Despite making seven changes to the lineup, Newcastle took an early 2-0 lead through Sandro Tonali and Joelinton. Qarabag managed to pull goals back in the second half via Camilo Duran and Elvin Jafarguliyev, exposing some defensive vulnerabilities that have been a concern for the team.
The team's minimum objective for the season has been met, and they now await their opponent for the round of 16. The draw for the next stage will take place soon, with the first leg scheduled for March 10 or 11 and the second leg on March 17 or 18.
Defensively, Newcastle has struggled to maintain clean sheets, having recorded only three in their last 28 games across all competitions. This ongoing issue will need to be addressed as they prepare for tougher opposition in the latter stages of the tournament.
