Kylian Mbappe’s controversial penalty denies Newcastle victory at Paris Saint-Germain
PSG 1-1 Newcastle (Mbappe pen 90+8′ | Isak 24′)
PARC DES PRINCES — Deep into injury time Newcastle United’s hearts were broken but when the pain subsides, sober analysis will point to a massive step in the right direction for Eddie Howe and his shattered players.
The Magpies were outstanding but resistance was broken in the sixth minute of injury time as Kylian Mbappe swept home a penalty awarded via the harshest of VAR calls. Tino Livramento – whose night had been laced with poise in a pedigree performance – could hardly do much about Ousmane Dembele’s cross rebounding off his hip and bouncing onto his arm. But the charade of technology eliminating errors continues to disrupt football’s natural rhythm and Newcastle are the latest side to feel the unjust finger of fate wagging their way.
They were so close to a result for the ages and so good throughout. They had withstood an onslaught of Paris Saint-Germain pressure, defending heroically to prevent Mbappe from breaching their resistance for 94 minutes and controlling the game for long spells before their tiring bodies handed the hosts the initiative.
They remain in contention in the group of death but the final day shootout with Milan now looks like it will be for a place in the Europa League rather than to continue the Champions League adventure in 2024. That is a mighty shame because this was the night when they finally seemed to have cracked the code for how to play away from home in this competition.
In the circumstances, it represents a brilliant performance and fine point. 14 first-teamers were injured or suspended and the bench was Bristol Street Motors Trophy stuff: two goalkeepers, two kids, Paul Dummett and Lewis Hall.
We have been waiting for this from Newcastle. Here at last was full fat Howeball, served up at a hostile Parc des Princes after weathering a fierce early storm from Paris Saint-Germain’s swashbuckling forward line. Everything that has been so impressive about Newcastle domestically travelled with them across the Channel.
All over the pitch performances rose a few notches. Against PSG at St James’ Park they were swept along partly on adrenaline but here there was a real intelligence and poise to their play for long spells.
And they are learning what it takes to prosper away from home. Miguel Almiron’s first-half performance was one of the best of his Newcastle career but observe how he bought the cleverest of tactical fouls when Mbappe walked into the trap of bodychecking him with dark blue shirts waiting to pounce.
Joelinton, too, survived 67 minutes on a booking, prospering while playing on the edge. To a man it felt like this was the night they finally appreciated that fizz on its own will not be enough to squeeze points from Europe’s best.
And what of Lewis Miley, the youngest English Champions League midfield debutant since a certain Jude Bellingham? He was sensational alongside Bruno Guimaraes, the pair of them covering 6.8km a piece as they hared around covering every blade of Parisian grass. But there was ingenuity to match the energy and wonderful off-the-ball movement that buys him time on the ball. His dummy run in the build up to Isak’s goal was every bit as cute as the pass that set up the Swede on Saturday.
A reminder: he is just 17 and this was only the fourth start of his career. Let’s not talk about potential when he is already affecting games against world class opponents.
Newcastle deserved their lead, Isak prodding home after a Gianluigi Donnarumma howler. A first away goal of the Champions League prompted an explosion of joy from the wedge of the Parc des Princes populated by the travelling support.
Inevitably, a surge from PSG was around the corner. Enrique acted to shift Mbappe to the right to run at Livramento and an overburdened Gordon.
The pressure was intense in the final 20 minutes but Newcastle withstood it all until fate – and the video monitor – intervened. It was the harshest of conclusions.