Magpies take to the skies again
FA CUP: JOINED BY CHELSEA AND VILLA IN NEXT ROUND
Newcastle ended their 13-year wait to beat bitter rivals Sunderland as Alexander Isak’s double inspired a 3-0 win in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
Chelsea joined Newcastle in the last-32 with a 4-0 rout of second tier Preston while Aston Villa snatched a late 1-0 win at Middlesbrough.
In the first Tyne and Wear derby since 2016, Newcastle put Sunderland to the sword thanks to Dan Ballard’s first-half own goal and Isak’s brace after the break at the Stadium of Light.
Newcastle had lost six of their previous seven clashes with Sunderland, but their composed display neutered the fired-up Black Cats and delivered a first derby success since a 1-0 victory in 2011.
After four successive defeats in all competitions, Newcastle coach Eddie Howe hoped the derby would be a “season-changing” moment to salve the wounds from their Champions League exit and poor Premier League form.
Whether vanquishing second-tier opponents will prove transformative remains to be seen, but for now local pride was all that mattered to the 6 000 Newcastle fans who waved their black and white scarves in delight at the final whistle.
“We handled the occasion well, were brave with the ball and were very composed. We didn’t let the crowd take over,” Howe said.
“Today [Saturday] will have done us the world of good. It keeps us in an important competition and that brings hope.”
Amid the sound and fury in the stands, Newcastle kept their nerve and snatched the lead in the 35th minute as Ballard diverted Joelinton’s cross into his own net.
Sunderland gifted Newcastle their second goal less than 60 seconds after the interval when Almiron robbed the dawdling Pierre Ekwah inside his own area and teed up Isak to fire home from 10 yards.
Ballard’s 90th minute foul on Anthony Gordon conceded a penalty that Isak converted to cap Newcastle’s victory.
At Stamford Bridge, inconsistent Chelsea dismissed Preston with three goals in 11 second-half minutes.
Armando Broja headed home to break Preston’s resistance in the 58th minute.
Thiago Silva nodded in the second from a corner, Raheem Sterling grabbed the third with a fine free-kick and Enzo Fernandez tapped in to complete the rout in the 85th minute.
Aston Villa needed an 88th minute strike from Matty Cash to see off Championship side Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Non-league Maidstone United clinched a surprise 1-0 win against Stevenage. –