Dan Burn told his teammates that they would be considered gods if Newcastle United finally satisfied their 68-year hunger for a home trophy.
How fitting, then, that it was the Forty’s childhood supporter who was the source of the divine finale that brought them one step closer to history.
This is really a story. Ten years ago, Byrne was pushing carts through his local Asda and could barely get a try at a professional football club. It seemed incredible at the time that he would become the hero of what veteran Newcastle spectators considered to be the best game in recent years.
But this is a team and a club looking to rewrite the script, and just at the moment when the lavish Newcastle United seemed to die before sweeping majestically past Danny Ward.
The explosion of relief in the stadium was palpable. Newcastle dominated and put pressure on someone to show themselves as a hero. But Sean Longstaff and Bruno Guimarães were in an unusually favorable mood towards the cause, and the natives felt it.
More than half a century without a trophy gives Newcastle history a unique dynamic and what was a wild pre-match crowd has begun to calm down. Tensions mounted as a disappointing Lester loomed. The Magpies needed a hero.
Berne was the least likely source, but seemed to conjure up the spirit of his icon Alan Shearer with his one-hour finish and set him beautifully in front of the heaving Gallowgate End in what was surely to be a career high point. Incredibly, it was only his 12th professional football goal, and the ensuing misalignment of the knee was the unbridled joy of his fans in the stadium.
Suddenly the tension eased and Newcastle began to play without handcuffs. Joelinton – a failed No. 9 turned brilliant left winger and the man whose transformation so succinctly reflects Eddie Howe’s revolution – took a great second place to ensure Tyneside didn’t get any late nerves.
Newcastle can keep dreaming and a place in the last four is part of the story. It’s been 19 years since they played in the semi-finals on home soil, and whoever signs them tomorrow is going to be in trouble.
The Carabao Cup can be a big trophy on loan, but it’s really important in those areas. And it was no more than Newcastle deserved to jump out of the trap in their mission to avenge their shock FA Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.
On Boxing Day, a faster start decided that a Premier League match between the two teams would take place within half an hour. Leicester should have suffered the same fate here, such was the relentless early pressure from the hosts, but Newcastle’s excesses made matters worse.
The much-maligned Danny Ward played his part by parrying a Sean Longstaff shot as a black-and-white wave swept through the Leicester back four, but Newcastle squandered some great chances to ease the tension in the quarter-finals.
The sold-out crowd recognized this as an opportunity to make history and waved scarves before kick-off to show their support. But the longer the game went on, the more trophy drought the monkey on their collective back became. So thank God for Bern.
Lester was largely flattered by the deception. Brendan Rodgers has spoken of rebuilding in the second half of the season and capitalizing on this cup game, but his team is in dire need of a refresh. At Newcastle, they looked mostly ordinary, and it wasn’t until Jolinton cast daylight between the two sides that they came to life.
Substitute Jamie Vardy missed two great chances to turn the game into a game, causing ridicule in the stands. Leicester’s traveling contingent fired back, recalling that the striker has recently won more silverware than Newcastle. Given the dizzying trajectory they’re on, this may not last long.
Source: I News
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.