Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes struck a dramatic 90th-minute winner to secure a vital 2-1 victory over Fulham at St James' Park. The late goal marked a crucial psychological breakthrough for the Magpies, who had suffered painful late defeats to Liverpool, Arsenal and Brighton earlier this season.
Jacob Murphy opened the scoring in the 18th minute after pressuring Calvin Bassey and finishing across Bernd Leno. The winger missed a golden opportunity to double the lead from a similar position before the break, a miss that proved costly when Fulham equalised.
Sasa Lukic headed home the equaliser in the 56th minute after Raul Jimenez's effort struck the crossbar. The goal came following a teasing cross from Brazilian substitute Kevin, putting Newcastle's three points in jeopardy.
Turning Point
Eddie Howe's triple substitution in the 61st minute proved decisive, with Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Fabian Schar all entering the fray. The changes injected fresh energy into Newcastle's performance as they pushed for a winner.
William Osula, who nearly joined Eintracht Frankfurt for £30 million on deadline day before Newcastle pulled out when terms changed to a loan according to the Daily Mail, provided the crucial contribution. The substitute wriggled through Fulham's defence and forced Leno into a low save, with the rebound falling perfectly for Bruno.
Standout Performances
Three Newcastle players earned 8/10 ratings for their displays against the Cottagers. Malick Thiaw was named man of the match, delivering another clean and tidy performance that justified his £35 million price tag.
Joelinton dominated in midfield, snapping into tackles and earning chants from the Newcastle faithful. Bruno Guimaraes, despite not being at his absolute best, earned full marks for his refusal to let the game slip away with his match-winning intervention.
The Chronicle Live reports this was Bruno's 150th start for Newcastle, having missed just six matches since joining from Lyon in January 2022. Nick Pope contributed with crucial first-half saves, while Kieran Trippier kept Newcastle's attacking momentum flowing down the right flank.
Significance
The victory represents more than just three points for Newcastle, breaking their recent pattern of late heartbreak. The crowd of 52,125 had booed referee Peter Bankes off at half-time, but the late drama provided the perfect redemption.
This dramatic finish could mark a turning point in what had been a stuttering season for the Magpies. After their sparkling victory over Benfica, Newcastle have now shown they can grind out results when the pressure mounts.
Sources used: "Chronicle Live", "Daily Mail", "Evening Standard" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
