Newcastle 1-0 Bournemouth: Adam Smith own goal sends Eddie Howe’s Magpies into Carabao Cup quarter-finals | Football news
Adam Smith’s own goal earned Newcastle a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals as Eddie Howe’s men edged past his former club Bournemouth.
The Cherries skipper’s 67th-minute misfortune was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for the Magpies at St James’ Park and boost hopes they can finally end a domestic trophy drought dating back to 1955.
If the victory was deserved – the Magpies dominated much of the 90 minutes in front of an expectant crowd of 51,579 – it proved hard-fought, with goalkeeper Nick Pope having to save from substitute Jack Stacey and Dominic Solanke to preserve his clean sheet and secure a seventh win in a row.
Newcastle have reached the last eight of the Carabao Cup for the second time in three seasons
Howe made a significant statement when he named all five of his returning World Cup stars – Pope, Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson – in his starting line-up.
Trippier curled in a free-kick in the 13th minute after Lewis Cook had pulled back Joelinton and Sean Longstaff fired well wide of goal after picking up Adam Smith’s loose pass seconds later.
Pope had to be alert to collect Kieffer Moore’s knock-down in front of Ryan Christie as the visitors responded, but opposite number Mark Travers was relieved to see Schar’s 20th-minute piledriver fly just wide of his right-hand post with no chance of getting to that.
Camped in the technical area, Howe and assistant Jason Tindall repeatedly encouraged their team to move the ball quicker with Bournemouth sitting deep and they thought they had gone in front with 26 minutes gone when Wilson poked a shot past Travers, only to be met by a late offside flag.
The England frontman headed a Trippier cross over and then cleared the bar with a well-struck 35th-minute volley as Newcastle doubled their effort, but Travers comfortably played away Guimaraes’ effort from distance six minutes before the break.
Miguel Almiron should have opened the scoring in the first half but he mistimed Dan Burns’ cross at the far post and the home side were grateful for some smart stoppage time between Jaidon Anthony, Jordan Zemura and Solanke that ultimately came to nothing.
The Magpies lacked the precision required in the early stages of the second half, with Schar unable to connect with an inviting Trippier free-kick in front of goal, and were cautioned in the 57th minute when Moore sent a diving header wide from Smith’s cross. .
With Anthony and Zemura increasingly influential as Bournemouth put together a series of counter-attacks, the game opened up, but the visitors contributed to their own undoing when the deadlock was finally broken.
Smith fought manfully in the air in an attempt to prevent Wilson from reaching Trippier’s cross, but only managed to head the ball into his own net despite the best effort of team-mate Marcos Senesi on the line.
Stacey tested Pope with a hard-hitting shot 16 minutes from time and Travers had to parry Guimaraes’ deflected shot but Solanke was denied by the England keeper at the death.
What’s next?
Newcastle return to Premier League action on Boxing Day when they travel to the King Power Stadium to face Leicester at 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth return the following day, Tuesday 27 December, when they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge at 5.30pm.
