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Dominik Szoboszlai scored a dramatic stoppage-time penalty as Liverpool secured a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
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Anthony Elanga gave Newcastle an early lead before Cody Gakpo brought Liverpool level shortly after half-time.
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Joe Willock restored Newcastle’s advantage just two minutes after Liverpool’s equaliser.
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Newcastle showed plenty of attacking promise under new manager Matthias Jaissle despite surrendering their lead late on.
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Liverpool’s performance raised questions despite the visitors’ late rescue.
August 23, (THEWILL) — Newcastle wasted little time putting Liverpool under pressure and took the lead after only five minutes.
Osula found Elanga in space, and the forward showed composure to guide his finish beyond Alisson and into the far corner.
It was an encouraging start for a Newcastle side beginning a new era under Jaissle.
The hosts continued to look dangerous, using an aggressive pressing game to unsettle Liverpool and prevent the visitors from establishing control.
Liverpool gradually grew into the match but were unable to find an equaliser before half-time, leaving Newcastle with a deserved advantage at the break.
Liverpool respond after the interval
Liverpool returned from the dressing room with greater attacking intent and eventually levelled 10 minutes into the second half.
Gakpo found the target with a controlled strike from outside the area, giving Newcastle goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek little chance.
The equaliser appeared to shift momentum towards Liverpool, but Newcastle responded almost immediately.
Two minutes after Gakpo’s goal, Willock restored the home side’s lead with a low finish into the bottom corner.
Liverpool were forced to chase the game again, while Newcastle looked increasingly capable of holding on for victory.
Liverpool looked set to suffer defeat after Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock put Newcastle ahead at different stages of the match, but Cody Gakpo’s equaliser and Szoboszlai’s late spot-kick ensured the visitors left with a point.
Szoboszlai delivers late drama
Newcastle had an opportunity to kill off the contest when Wissa broke clear late in the match, but his attempt was kept out by Alisson.
That miss proved costly.
Liverpool continued searching for an opening and were handed one deep into stoppage time when Munoz went down following a challenge from Hall inside the Newcastle box.
Szoboszlai stepped forward and accepted the responsibility from 12 yards.
The Liverpool midfielder sent the penalty into the roof of the net in the ninth minute of added time, sparking celebrations among the visiting players and supporters.
The goal ensured Newcastle’s promising performance ended with only one point rather than the victory they had appeared destined to secure.
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New era begins with mixed emotions for Newcastle
Despite the disappointment of conceding so late, Newcastle can take encouragement from their performance under Jaissle.
The German coach inherited a squad that underwent significant changes during the summer and immediately introduced an energetic, pressing style that troubled Liverpool.
Elanga was particularly impressive, while Osula and Wissa provided Newcastle with pace and movement in attack.
For Liverpool, the result will feel more like two points dropped than a point gained after they were unable to control the game despite enjoying significant possession.
The late penalty, however, prevented a damaging defeat and gave Liverpool something to build on as the new Premier League campaign gets underway.
The match was also played against an emotional backdrop, with supporters paying tribute to former Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan before kick-off.
A large display honouring Keegan was unveiled at St James’ Park, while fans observed a minute’s applause in memory of the club legend.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
