Late Lamine Yamal penalty earns Barca draw at Newcastle in last 16 first leg

[p]Roared on by a fervent home crowd inside St James’ Park, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle[/a] came flying out of the blocks in the opening quarter-hour, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tonali-sandro/fmQVO5TQ/"]Sandro Tonali[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/elanga-anthony/dOlRWlZ6/"]Anthony Elanga[/a] seeing a pair of efforts unconvincingly saved by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garcia-joan/vuAlEqes/"]Joan Garcia[/a].[/p][p]Grateful to have survived that frenzied start, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] grew into the contest, and they nearly took a fortuitous lead when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/burn-dan/fyP3wtr0/"]Dan Burn[/a] deflected [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fermin/2c2ipETG/"]Fermin Lopez[/a]’s delivery inches wide of his own goal. [/p][p]Determined to avoid a repeat of their matchday one defeat to the Blaugrana in the league phase, Newcastle continued to apply pressure as the first half progressed.[/p][p]However, Eddie Howe’s men were unable to find the all-important finishing touch in the final third, as a wicked cross from Elanga narrowly evaded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osula-will/jT765A5D/"]William Osula[/a] at the back post.[/p][image alt="Newcastle - Barcelona match stats" id="87d21d88-c3c3-4853-babd-e31a98489e3f" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="94b6c1a9-7dec-4914-b22f-5db36026e7ee" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Having more than held their own in a closely-fought opening period, the Magpies remained on the front foot at the start of the second half, with Osula firing wastefully over from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hall-lewis/rJOyDa3N/"]Lewis Hall[/a]’s well-timed through ball. Barca looked to threaten themselves at the other end, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raphinha/xtBsDPam/"]Raphinha[/a]’s low cross was uncharacteristically swept wide by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lewandowski-robert/MVC8zHZD/"]Robert Lewandowski[/a].[/p][p]With nothing to separate the two sides heading into the final 25 minutes, both managers turned to their respective benches in the hope of injecting fresh impetus into the contest. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/murphy-jacob/b5WYEjtm/"]Jacob Murphy[/a] nearly delivered within minutes of his introduction, only for the winger to volley horribly over from 12 yards.[/p][p]Undeterred, Newcastle went even closer to a breakthrough in the 74th minute when Harvey Barnes curled agonisingly against the post from inside the box, before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joelinton/EBZ36WE4/"]Joelinton[/a]’s subsequent rebound was correctly ruled out for offside.[/p][p][b]However, there was no denying the hosts with four minutes remaining, with Barnes finding himself free in the box to coolly volley home from Murphy’s inch-perfect delivery, sending the Gallowgate End into raptures. [/b][/p][p][b]The Magpies’ joy was ultimately short-lived, though, as in the final minute of stoppage time, Malick Thiaw clumsily tripped [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olmo-dani/2oVBOlPg/"]Dani Olmo[/a] in the box, allowing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lamine-yamal/lAt3vEub/"]Yamal[/a] to step up and confidently convert from the spot to shatter Toon hearts at the death. [/b][/p][p]It was a gut-wrenching end for Howe’s side, who must now pick themselves up as they travel to Catalonia next week with the tie fascinatingly poised.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barnes-harvey/Wjj9WTTi/"]Harvey Barnes[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle United[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/barcelona-SKbpVP5K/newcastle-p6ahwuwJ/?mid=pC3kZYup"]Click here for more on the match[/a][/b][/p]