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Newcastle’s coach, Eddie Howe, praised a pivotal moment in the team’s season as they narrowly defeated Championship team Blackburn in a penalty shootout during the FA Cup match on Tuesday.
Martin Dubravka successfully blocked two penalty kicks, helping the Magpies win 4-3 in the shootout following a 1-1 tie in extra time.
The team has fallen to 10th place in the Premier League this season, which has been disappointingly lackluster compared to last year’s top-four finish. Therefore, the cup presents an opportunity for the team to continue progressing.
Howe praised the players for their composure and skill during the crucial moment of the game. This includes both the goalkeeper and the outfield players who successfully took the penalties.
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This was a significant moment for our team during a critical point in the season.
The players are eager to succeed and recognize the significance of the FA Cup.
Additionally, Howe commended the exceptional performance of Dubravka, who had been unwell leading up to the match as the goalkeeper for Slovakia.
He stated that the two saves made during penalty kicks were crucial for our team. But during regular play, he felt that the player performed admirably and it was necessary because the other team also had some significant opportunities.
He has been performing while feeling a bit unwell and deserves recognition for doing so. He was not in good physical condition for the match against Arsenal and has not been fully healthy for a significant amount of time.
Dubravka prevented Blackburn from scoring multiple times before Newcastle finally took the lead in the 71st minute thanks to Anthony Gordon.
Blackburn made a strong comeback, with the impressive Sammie Szmodics equalizing the score. Both teams had opportunities to score in regular and extra time, but ultimately resorted to penalty kicks. Thanks to Dubravka’s saves against Szmodics and Hyam, Blackburn emerged victorious.
Howe remarked that he believed the team improved as the game progressed. He expressed that the first half was not up to par, but the second half was an improvement. Additionally, he noted that the extra time was their strongest period of the game.
“We should have avoided going to penalties, considering the missed opportunities during extra time.”
John Eustace, the manager of Blackburn, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, despite being a 16th-ranked team in the Championship.
Eustace, who became the new manager earlier this month and is yet to secure a win, expressed that deciding a game through penalties is unpredictable. However, he is extremely proud of the team he selected and grateful for the support of the fans.
“I am incredibly grateful for the continuous effort, enthusiasm, and camaraderie displayed by my team. It is evident that everyone is fiercely dedicated and supporting one another, and the quality of our gameplay is steadily improving with each match.”
We are taking gradual progress. We are facing a strong Premier League team with top players, and it was evident that we were able to create opportunities against them in specific areas. On a different occasion, we could have scored a couple more goals.
The source of the article is The Independent.
