Newcastle 0-1 Dortmund: Tough night for Toon as Group F is thrown wide open

A disappointing night for an injury-hit Newcastle United, as a well drilled Borussia Dortmund had the woodwork to thank at a soaking St James’ Park.

In truth, the Bundesliga giants were the better side in the first half and deserved their lead, but we were unfortunate not to equalise after a period of late pressure, where Callum Wilson and Anthony Gordon both his the bar.

The loss leaves us second in Group F and level with the Germans on four points, with PSG moving top after a 3-0 win over AC Milan; who sit bottom after two draws and a defeat in their opening three games.

Our remaining group games include a trip to Dortmund in two weeks time, PSG at the Parc des Princes and AC Milan at home following our 0-0 draw at the San Siro.

Dortmund made a fast start and came close within the opening minutes, where the dangerous Malen forced Pope into a save after getting in down our right. This was the first of several first half chances he’d have, with the Dutchman denied by crucial blocks from Burn and Lascelles. 

Pope saved our bacon with a stunning double save from close range, as Malen and Reus were left wondering how they weren?t ahead. After great pressing from Miggy, Isak burst behind the Dortmund defence and slipped in Gordon, who fired a left-footed shot a little too close to Kobel from the angle. 

We were losing the midfield battle, being caught in transition too often and causing our own problem from cheap giveaways. Conditions were tough, with the pitch soaking at a soggy St James’ Park, but it was immediately clear that this Dortmund were going to give us a far tougher game than that star-studded but ultimately limp PSG side that surrendered from the off three weeks ago. 

Alexander Isak then pulled up and looked like a man who knew his race was run. It looked like another groin injury, seeing Callum Wilson come on in place of our top scoring Swede who looked to be forced off against his former club.

Trippier looked below his brilliant best and was struggling to have the level of impact we?ve seen in recent weeks, but we did grow into the game towards the break. Gordon looked razor sharp, Almiron was elusive as ever and Wolf was booked for a trip. Without creating a great deal, we were enjoying a sustained spell of possession and periods of presser, but it was Dortmund who went in front just before the break. After Schlotterbeck picked Gordon’s pocket in the middle of the park, the German centre-back continued his run and cut-back for former Toon target Felix Nmecha, who slotted past Pope with a cultured side-foot finish. 1-0 Dortmund.

We had to respond in the second half and without ever playing anywhere near our best, we were comfortably the better side. The opening five minutes of the second half was full of loose touches and misplaced passes as we continued to struggle with the conditions, but we settled into it and almost drew level as Gordon’s ball across the six-yard box fell to Wilson. Our number nine had to score, but Kobel made himself big and palmed clear.

A double substitution followed with 65 minutes on the clock, as Sean Longstaff and Joelinton were replaced by Jacob Murphy and Sandro Tonali, who came on for his last appearance on Tyneside for 10 months. Both made an impact and added some zip to our play, yet Saturday’s man of the match was soon forced off with a dislocated shoulder.

That forced Howe into more changes, as Joe Willock came on for his first appearance since May, with Matt Targett also replacing Dan Burn to give us another outlet down our left. Tonali produced a stunning reverse pass that almost saw Miggy burst past his man into the box, but Dortmund stood strong and hacked clear again.

Pressure was building and we needed that sprinkle of quality and slice of luck. After a tiring but relentless Gordon won us a free-kick with five minutes to play, Targett’s floated delivery was glanced brilliantly by Wilson. It looked destined for the far corner but didn’t come down quick enough, clipping the bar before a sea of yellow shirts reacted first to clear.

Four minutes of added time were signalled and Dortmund were camped in their own half, as they had been for large parts of the second half. We threw the ball into the box in one last throw of the dice and it fell to Gordon. His effort wasn’t clean and took a big deflection, but luck wasn’t on our side once again as it hit the woodwork. The final whistle went and you could see the relief on Dortmund faces just as black and white shirts sunk to the floor in a defeat the blows Group F wide open.

Collectively, we were off it in terms of our passing and struggled with the conditions. We huffed and puffed, although I did feel the atmosphere was flat inside St James’ Park, despite another stunning display from Wor Flags ahead of kick-off.

It was probably Trippier’s poorest game for some time, as nothing really clicked for the usually influential right-back. Joelinton looked rusty, Longstaff was quiet and we seemed easier to contain after Isak was forced off. Gordon was our biggest threat once again, doing everything at pace and pressing throughout, we just fell short against a solid Dortmund side who got their game plan bang on. They’ve lost just once in their last 20 games and it’s easy to see why, yet we so nearly left with a precious point.

A tough night on so many fronts, as the loss was coupled with injury blows for Isak, Murphy and Elliot Anderson – who is expected to miss three weeks – and the reminder that we won’t see Tonali again until next season.

Next up, Wolves away on Saturday before a Carabao Cup trip to Old Trafford a week today.

STARTING XI: Pope; Trippier, Lascelles (c), Sch?r, Burn; Longstaff, B.Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Gordon.

SUBS: Dubravka, Karius, Dummett, Tonali, Wilson, Targett, Hall, Livramento, Murphy, Willock.