Saturday August 18, 2012 Day 1 Finished Sports Direct Arena

Newcastle United 2 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur

  • Ba 54’
  • Ben Arfa 80’ (pen.)
  • Defoe 76’

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  1. Ben Arfa bags winner as Newcastle beat Tottenham

    Ben Arfa bags winner as Newcastle beat Tottenham

    Newcastle began their Premier League campaign with a win at the expense of Tottenham, who they beat 2-1 at the Sports Direct Arena. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Newcastle United
    • Tottenham Hotspur
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with every Premier League game, from 00:01 on Monday morning (UK only).
    • 90+3' The final whistle goes and the Villas-Boas era at Tottenham begins with a defeat, while Newcastle gain some measure of revenge for the 5-0 drubbing handed them the last time they met.
    • 90' Tottenham will have three additional minutes to try and salvage a point.
    • 89' Tottenham have lost their last three opening day matches away from home, since a 2-0 win at Portsmouth in 2005.
    • 86' Tottenham substitution: Harry Kane replaces Sandro.
    • 85' Newcastle substitution: Gabriel Obertan replaces Ba.
    • 85' The corner is taken short to Ben Arfa, whose cross floats over everyone inside the box.
    • 84' Gutierrez has a pop from distance that Friedel feels he has to tip over the bar!
    • 82' Van der Vaart sends in an inviting free-kick but Krul's action is decisive and he denies Spurs any opportunity for an aerial attack.
    • 80' GOAL!! Newcastle 2-1 Tottenham!! Ben Arfa sends Friedel the wrong way and hits a clinical low penalty into the corner of the net!
    • 79' PENALTY!! Ben Arfa sneaks between Van der Vaart and Lennon and it's the former who trips the Frenchman, and the referee points to the spot! Ben Arfa will take it...
    • 78' Sandro leaps in with a great block to deny Tiote's shot from range, but he appears to have hurt his shoulder in the process.
    • 77' Jermain Defoe scored 11 league goals last season. His first of this campaign comes in the week in which he also scored the winner for England against Italy.
    • 76' GOAL!! Newcastle 1-1 Tottenham!! Lennon's floated cross is met by a header from Gallas. Krul saves the effort with his legs but Defoe reacts quickest to fire home the rebound!
    • 75' Van der Vaart whips in a corner but once again Spurs fail to make good use of it.
    • 74' Newcastle doing a good job of denying Spurs possession for the time being. The clock is ticking for the visitors' chances of pulling level.
    • 72' Defoe takes his shot early but Krul is down quickly to stop it at the near post. The ball looks to be rolling out for a corner but Taylor gets his head right down tot he floor to nod it back to the keeper!
    • 71' Newcastle substitution: Vernun Anita replaces Cabaye.
    • 71' Newcastle repel the initial delivery and Lennon makes a hash of the follow-up.
    • 70' Van der Vaart dinks a lovely ball forward to Lennon who takes it on his chest but the ball is diverted away from him before he can shoot. Corner to Spurs.
    • 68' Tottenham substitution: Rafael van der Vaart replaces Sigurdsson.
    • 65' Tottenham have become a lot more subdued since that goal, while Newcastle are keeping the ball a lot better as they are not being pressed as much.
    • 64' After Pardew can't get his headset working in the stand, it looks as though members of the Newcastle staff are going to carry any instructions for the bench by relay. Has no one got a mobile he could borrow?
    • 62' Ba scored 15 goals in 19 Premier League matches before Cisse made his debut for the club on February 5. Since then he has netted only once in 15 league matches before today.
    • 61' Assou-Ekotto has a pop from range which is well struck but beaten away by Krul.
    • 59' Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is being sent to the stands after he gave the linesman a angry shove! Not sure why he got so worked up - his team had just gone a goal up!
    • 58' Sigurdsson tries a curling effort from the edge of the box but it's high and wide.
    • 57' Kaboul stands over a dead ball that is some distance out. The defender has a crack, but it rebounds off the wall.
    • 55' Demba Ba's first goal since early February has given Newcastle a lead they hardly deserve. How will Tottenham respond?
    • 54' GOAL!! Newcastle 1-0 Tottenham!! Walker's attempt at a headed clearance lands at the feet of Ba, who taks a touch and bends a sumptuous curling finish past Friedel!
    • 52' Bale tears forward down the right channel, outstrips Perch and gets to the byline but his right-footed cross trickles to Krul.
    • 51' Ben Arfa takes on Assou-Ekotto again but this time the Spurs left-back wins the battle. That has been an intriguing little duel.
    • 49' The last three Tottenham Premier League away matches that have been goalless at half-time have ended 0-0.
    • 48' Now Lennon showing what he can do with a nimble turn and direct run into the box that ends with a square ball across it but again the danger is cleared.
    • 47' Great skill from Ben Arfa as he muscles Assou-Ekotto off the ball and keeps it in play. He fires in a cross but Kaboul stoops low to head clear.
    • 46' Spurs get the second half underway!
    • HT John Martin @(JohnMa9): "I would have played Vertonghen instead of Gallas, VDV instead of Sandro and Kane instead of Livermore."
    • HT Joshua Holder (@xJosh_Squashx): "Tottenham is dominating but cant score so im going for a lucky goal from cisse 1-0 newcastle."
    • HT You can share your thoughts on that first half with me via Twitter @tony_mabert. Get in touch!
    • 45+3' Half-time is called, and the score remains 0-0 after Spurs hit the post and the bar.
    • 45+2' Spurs clear the corner all the way back to Krul. The Newcastle keeper lumps it back up the field, but Bale emerges with the ball and Cabaye fouls him. The Frenchman gets booked.
    • 45+1' Simpson's cross is almost met by Ba's head but Gallas diverts it wide for a corner.
    • 45' Two minutes of added time at the end of the first half are signalled.
    • 44' The crowd in one corner of the ground appelaing loudly for handball against Benoit Assou-Ekotto, but the referee saw nothing wrong.
    • 43' Bale manages to get an outstretched boot to a long ball forward but that allows Krul to gather it up before Bale can get a shot away.
    • 42' Some nifty footwork sees Newcastle keep possession as Spurs press them in midfield.
    • 41' Sigurdsson scored five goals in his last six Premier League away matches for Swansea last season.
    • 39' Friedel punches a hopeful Newcastle cross clear. The ball falls to Lennon who leads the counter-attack. The bal is moved across to Defoe, who works the space to shoot from the edge of the box but fires high and wide.
    • 37' Bale scored nine league goals and claimed 10 assists last season. Can he better that haul this term?
    • 36' OFF THE BAR! Lennon jinks his way to the byline and floats a cross to Bale at the far post. The Welshman's header back across goal is over Krul but rebounds off the crossbar!
    • 35' Defoe has scored twice before on the opening day, but not since 2005. He has five career Premier League goals against Newcastle and netted at the Sports Direct Arena last season.
    • 34' Good pressure from Newcastle's forwards is finally beginning to put Tottenham's defenders under pressure when they have the ball.
    • 32' OFF THE POST! Defoe gets the better of Taylor inside the Newcastle box and his strike rebounds off the foot of the near post!
    • 31' Good spell of possession from Newcastle. Kaboul ushers Ba out wide and clears the ball but Newcastle come again. The ball sits up for Tiote and the crowd tells him to shoot. He does, but it flies into the stand.
    • 30' Gutierrez robs Lennon of the ball but his cross is blocked by Walker.
    • 29' Sigurdsson has a sighter from range fly off target. The Icelandic attacker can be so lethal from distance, but not on that occasion.
    • 27' Newcastle again deal with the corner well, and the passage of play ends with a Newcastle free-kick.
    • 26' Sigurdsson strikes and bends his shot over the wall towards the foot of the near post, but Krul gets across to turn it behind.
    • 25' Bale kncks the ball past Simpson and again he is tripped. The Tottenham players are asking why that is not a second booking, and they may have a point. surely that is Simpson's last chance. Anyway, Spurs have a free-kick, which sigurdsson and Younes Kaboul both fancy taking.
    • 24' Ba tracks back to stop Walker's bombing run down the right well into the Newcastle half.
    • 22' Spurs head coach Andre Villas-Boas spoke ahead of the game about how a visit to Newcastle is never easy. His only other visit to Tyneside saw his Chelsea side win 3-0 there last season.
    • 21' Papiss Cisse turns and shoots from 20 yards out. His low strike takes a deflection off Demba Ba's boot and rolls just wide of the target, must to the relief of the stranded Friedel!
    • 19' Sandro joins Livermore in the referee's book for another foul inside the centre circle.
    • 18' Newcastle are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games against Tottenham (W4 D2), though the last two games at St James Park have ended as draws.
    • 16' Hatem Ben Arfa is tripped by Livermore as the French attacker goes over the halfway line. That's a booking for the Spurs midfielder from referee Martin Atkinson.
    • 15' Newcastle have failed to win their first match of the season for the past three seasons, since a 3-1 win at Bolton in 2007.Spurs have not won their opening match in the last two seasons, since a 2-1 home win against Liverpool in 2009.
    • 14' Bale streaks past Danny Simpson, who brings him down. That's the first booking of the bgame, and it means Simpson's task has just got more difficult.
    • 13' Gutierrez tracks Walker all the way to the byline and makes the block. Goal-kick to Newcastle.
    • 12' Spurs have dictated the tempo in the opening part of this match. Newcastle yet to come out of the blocks.
    • 11' Sigurdsson puts in a great cross from the rigth but neither Jermain Defoe nor Bale are close enough to attack it.
    • 10' Another Newcastle free-kick on the left flank. Cabaye hits a straighter delivery that is plucked out of the air by Brad Friedel.
    • 9' Newcastle scored the highest proportion of first half goals in the 2011-12 Premier League (50%).
    • 8' Sigurdsson gets some treatment after colliding with Krul, but he will soon rejoin the game.
    • 7' Sandro heads away the delivery from deep on the left by Yohan Cabaye. Lennon leads the break and he squares to Bale. The Welshman's miscued shot comes to Sigurdsson, who is flagged offside as his shot is smothered by Tim Krul.
    • 6' Jonas Gutierrez wins a free-kick after being clipped by Jake Livermore, who won his first senior England cap earlier in the week.
    • 5' Great defending from Steven Taylor as he shields the ball from Gareth Bale and shepherds it out of play. Bale is wearing number 11 on his shirt this season, having previously been the club's number three.
    • 4' Cheick Tiote puts in his first crunching challenge of the season on Walker, much to the approval of the home crowd. It won't be his last. The Ivorian midfielder appears to have done himself an injury fromt hat tackle though, and he has to leave the field temporarily to have it checked out before he rejoins the game. Early scare for Newcastle there.
    • 3' This time the corner coems to Aaron Lennon, but the ball was bouncing up as he met it and floats harmlessly over the bar.
    • 2' Kyle Walker wins a corner off Davide Santon. Gylfi Sigurdsson's first competitive act as a Tottenham player is to deliver the set piece, which is headed clear. Spurs build again and now James Perch heads behind for another corner.
    • 1' Spurs keep the home crowd waiting as captain William Gallas gets the visitors in a huddle, but eventually Newcastle can kick off and we're underway!
    • 17:29 The two teams are heading out onto the field now on a lovely summer's evening. We'll be underway shortly. share your thoughts on the game with me via Twitter @tony_mabert. Get in touch!
    • 17:25 Shola Ameobi picked up an injury in the warm-up. Sylvain Marveaux was set to be named on the bench in his place, but Newcastle are apparently struggling to track him down! Roman Amalfitano has been named as a substitute instead.
    • 17:25 When Spurs enjoyed that 5-0 win over Newccastle in the winter, Emmanuel Adebayor scored one goal and set up the other four. The Togo striker is still a Manchester City player, so Jermain Defoe is the club's only senior striker as things stand.
    • 17:20 At the age of 41 years and 92 days old, Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel becomes the seventh oldest player ever to play in the Premier League. He is set to overtake former Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann in that chart in 60 days' time.
    • 17:15 Tottenham head coach Andre Villas-Boas: "Newcastle away is never an easy trip. These are two teams that want Champions League qualification and are fighting for the same objectives. We want to make sure we push a little further than that and we will have to see if we can do that. It will be good to start the season well, but we have to be aware that we are facing an opponent of high value."
    • 17:10 Newcastle boss Alan Pardew: "We have to look at the games and how we schedule them but the League comes first for sure. We want to try and push the Champions' League teams – we were the closest to them and want to narrow the gap. So I will approach every game logically and play a side that I think can win every game."
    • 17:05 Head-to-head: Tottenham are unbeaten in their last five matches against Newcastle, since a 2-1 loss on Tyneside in December 2008 when Charles N’Zogbia and Damien Duff scored the Newcastle goals. Spurs won 5-0 at home in their last meeting, at White Hart Lane back in February. The Londoners have not won a league game at the Sports Direct Arena since 2000, when Thimothee Atouba scored the only goal of the game.
    • 17:00 Luka Modric is left out of Tottenham's squad for Andre Villas-Boas's first match in charge. The Croatian, who is close to joining Real Madrid, has not played all summer after refusing to go on the club's pre-season tour of the US and Spurs will not risk him getting injured on Tyneside. Gylfi Sigurdsson makes his Spurs debut but fellow summer signing Jan Vertonghen only starts on the bench. Scott Parker misses out with an ankle injury, so Jake Livermore anchors the midfield alongside Sandro. Tottenham Hotspur team page
    • 16:55 Newcastle's prospects on the opening day of the season have been given a huge boost as injury doubts over strike duo Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cisse plus midfielders Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa all proved to be unfounded. Defender Fabricio Coloccini misses out with a knock but Steven Taylor returns after a long-term injury to make his first appearance of 2012. New recruit Vurnon Anita is on the bench. Newcastle United team page
    • 16:50 TEAMS: Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Perch, Santon, Ben Arfa, Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse. Subs: Harper, R Taylor, Williamson, Anita, Gosling, Obertan, Shola Ameobi /// Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Livermore, Sandro, Lennon, Sigurdsson, Bale, Defoe. Subs: Cudicini, Naughton, Vertonghen, Jenas, Townsend, Van der Vaart, Kane
    • 16:45 Welcome to Eurosport's live coverage of the clash between Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur at the Sports Direct Arena as the 2012/13 season gets underway!

  • Summary

    • 84' Gutierrez has a pop from distance that Friedel feels he has to tip over the bar!
    • 80' GOAL!! Newcastle 2-1 Tottenham!! Ben Arfa sends Friedel the wrong way and hits a clinical low penalty into the corner of the net!
    • 79' PENALTY!! Ben Arfa sneaks between Van der Vaart and Lennon and it's the former who trips the Frenchman, and the referee points to the spot! Ben Arfa will take it...
    • 76' GOAL!! Newcastle 1-1 Tottenham!! Lennon's floated cross is met by a header from Gallas. Krul saves the effort with his legs but Defoe reacts quickest to fire home the rebound!
    • 54' GOAL!! Newcastle 1-0 Tottenham!! Walker's attempt at a headed clearance lands at the feet of Ba, who taks a touch and bends a sumptuous curling finish past Friedel!
    • 36' OFF THE BAR! Lennon jinks his way to the byline and floats a cross to Bale at the far post. The Welshman's header back across goal is over Krul but rebounds off the crossbar!
    • 32' OFF THE POST! Defoe gets the better of Taylor inside the Newcastle box and his strike rebounds off the foot of the near post!
    • 26' Sigurdsson strikes and bends his shot over the wall towards the foot of the near post, but Krul gets across to turn it behind.
    • 21' Papiss Cisse turns and shoots from 20 yards out. His low strike takes a deflection off Demba Ba's boot and rolls just wide of the target, must to the relief of the stranded Friedel!
    • 16:50 TEAMS: Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Perch, Santon, Ben Arfa, Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse. Subs: Harper, R Taylor, Williamson, Anita, Gosling, Obertan, Shola Ameobi /// Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Livermore, Sandro, Lennon, Sigurdsson, Bale, Defoe. Subs: Cudicini, Naughton, Vertonghen, Jenas, Townsend, Van der Vaart, Kane

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.6 6
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 6.3 5
      7.2 7
      7 6
      7.3 6
      Midfielders
      7 6
      Yellow Card Substitution Out71′ 7 6
      Goal 8.1 7
      7.3 7
      Strikers
      Goal Substitution Out85′ 8.1 7
      8.1 6
      Subs
      Substitution In85′ 7.8 -
      Substitution In71′ 9.1 6
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      5.3 6
      Defenders
      6.1 6
      4.6 6
      4.7 6
      4.9 6
      Midfielders
      Yellow Card Substitution Out86′ 5.1 5
      Yellow Card 4.3 5
      5.6 7
      Substitution Out68′ 5.8 6
      5.9 7
      Strikers
      Goal 6.8 7
      Subs
      Substitution In68′ 4 6
      Substitution In86′ 1.3 -

Comment 159 - 179 of 179

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  1. its funny how loosing 1 game we should sack the manager­ it shows the ignorance of people yes harry done well­ but he also made mistakes AVB is changing a team not­ one player its not going to happen over night so give­ him a chance before you pass comment after all­ Newcastle are a top team now fighting for 4th so its­ not like we lost to a bottom club

    From David R, on Sat 25 Aug 11:40

  2. One game does not a season make . The Spurs are looking­ good even in defeat .The Magpies are a good side­ playing at home , congrats to them for a rousing game .

    From Brianne Hendricks, on Sun 19 Aug 18:28

  3. hope levy hasn't trown away harry's number

    From Stephen, on Sun 19 Aug 18:15

  4. Sports direct arena ??? I thought they were playing­ at home ?..............

    From JohnnyGurkha, on Sun 19 Aug 16:05

  5. 184.. how exactly was it a dodgy penalty? :D

    From steven, on Sun 19 Aug 14:08

  6. Poor HARRY, he has to be off his trolley.... Aston V to­ finish 9th. Magpies to finish 11th. What are you on­ Harry? Did'nt anyone at Spurs see the match­ yesterday? 3 man back line & 6 in mid field &­ lacking up front. Think he'll get it right, but­ when? As for L'pool, am waiting for the last train.

    From brian j , on Sun 19 Aug 12:33

  7. NUFC supporters are getting worse somebody reported­ abuse for a simple opinion at 179

    From Uglybob, on Sun 19 Aug 11:37

  8. #179 How was it a dodgy pen? The only way spurs could­ stop Ben Arfa was to foul him. The game could have gone­ either way.

    From Cards Fan, on Sun 19 Aug 10:31

  9. 167 stop pretending you are a NUFC supporter you are­ a sad Mackem and with the posting name you use­ basically you have no intelligence

    From Duncan, on Sun 19 Aug 8:40

  10. 175 I appreciate the delay between normal tv and sky ­ (seconds) but these yahoo match reports are minutes­ behind the events apart from watcing the game on tv­ and as a check to find out how good the reporting is­ sometimes I thought I was at a different game

    From Duncan, on Sun 19 Aug 8:36

  11. Spurs played well but the lack of options up front­ concerns me.We need a top striker and we need one now.

    From gazza, on Sun 19 Aug 5:20

  12. A lucky win ....Spurs were the class act.... .And a­ very dodgy penalty Spurs should have won this game

    From Uglybob, on Sun 19 Aug 3:07

  13. After Pardew can't get his headset working in the­ stand, it looks as though members of the Newcastle­ staff are going to carry any instructions for the bench­ by relay. Has no one got a mobile he could borrow?­ Lolzzzzzzzzzzz

    From Steve, on Sun 19 Aug 0:29

  14. So much small talk on here. Why can't people try­ and discuss something at least a tiny bit intelligent? ­ 80% of your trash talk will dominate 18% of your life. ­ Do you really know how many years that is? Go check it­ out, small talkers.

    From Mr G., on Sat 18 Aug 22:25

  15. 172 Duncan. It is because there is always lag. It­ gets sent out on time - 2 TV's at home? if you play­ a film online or through an sky box, the online will­ always be delayed. Sad Spurs lost. However Newcastle­ are a good team and Tottenham played well for the most­ part. Thought Livermore had no flare at all, and was­ clumsy. Sigurdsson is OK - What baffled me is why­ Vertonghen didn't play as much as why were Dawson­ and Huddlestone not even in the squad? I know it's­ early days and perhaps we'll add some decent­ creative thinking players. Sandro is a great anchor­ player IMHO.

    From Mr G., on Sat 18 Aug 22:22

  16. Pardew could care less...his team beat spurs.­ That's all that counts. He'll wake up tomorrow­ feeling much better than the spurs boss, and that you­ can take to the bank..

    From gollywogazoo, on Sat 18 Aug 21:38

  17. Spurs will be far better off without Harry. Give the­ man a chance. Wenger out, a 0-0 draw far worse!

    From PETER, on Sat 18 Aug 21:10

  18. I fully agree with 131 took 3 mins to publish­ ba"s goal whats the point of reporting if you cant­ keep up to the play

    From Duncan, on Sat 18 Aug 20:50

  19. superb! Inspector Clouseau is working his magic.....the­ spuds are going down!!!

    From delazzuro, on Sat 18 Aug 20:45

  20. Once again Defoe scores a goal against Newcastle when­ he was clearly offside - as confirmed by the post game­ review on ESPN Should have been 2-0 lol

    From Ian, on Sat 18 Aug 20:41
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