Atlético Madrid Defeats Newcastle United 2-0 in Pre-Season Friendly
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Atlético Madrid secured a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in a pre-season friendly match at St. James’ Park on Saturday, August 3rd, 2024.Goals from Ángel Correa and Antoine Griezmann secured the win for the Spanish side,while Newcastle struggled to find the back of the net in the absence of key striker Alexander Isak.
First-Half Stalemate
The first half saw a cautious approach from both teams, with goalkeepers Nick Pope and Jan Oblak proving crucial. Pope denied Giuliano Simeone’s dangerous cross,while Oblak twice thwarted Joelinton’s attempts on goal. https://www.nufc.co.uk/news/latest-news/atletico-madrid-0-2-newcastle-united/
Second-Half Goals for Atlético
Atlético broke the deadlock shortly after the restart, in the 50th minute. A swift counter-attack, initiated by a loose pass from Newcastle’s Alvarez, saw Alex Baena set up Ángel Correa for a close-range finish.
Five minutes later, a poor clearance from Tino Livramento allowed David Hancko a scoring opportunity, but Jamaal Lascelles intervened to prevent a second goal for the visitors.
Antoine Griezmann extended Atlético’s lead in the 63rd minute with a skillful flick past Pope, assisted by Alexander Sorloth. https://www.espn.com/soccer/report?gameId=688411
Newcastle’s Attacking Struggles and Isak’s Absence
Newcastle struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout the match, especially with Alexander Isak unavailable. Isak is currently training separately from the squad amid reported interest from Liverpool. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/aug/03/newcastle-alexander-isak-liverpool-transfer-eddie-howe
Manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that isak is unlikely to feature in Newcastle’s Premier League opener against Aston Villa next week. Anthony Gordon led the attack but failed to make a notable impact, contributing to Newcastle’s third pre-season defeat.
Data Debrief: Newcastle’s Attacking Inefficiency
Newcastle’s attacking trio of Gordon, Anthony Elanga, and harvey Barnes were unable to break down Atlético’s defense. The magpies registered seven shots with an expected goals (xG) value of only 0.81, with just two shots on target.
Atlético, in contrast, had 10 shots, five on target, and outperformed their xG of 1.49. This highlights a clear disparity in attacking efficiency between the two sides.
Key Takeaways
Atlético Madrid defeated Newcastle United 2-0 in a pre-season friendly.
Goals from Ángel Correa and Antoine Griezmann secured the win for Atlético.
Newcastle struggled in attack, particularly in the absence of Alexander Isak.
Newcastle’s pre-season continues with a third defeat.
* Data shows a significant difference in attacking efficiency between the two teams.
Looking ahead, Newcastle will need to address their attacking issues and find a solution to their goal-scoring problems before the start of the Premier League season. The situation surrounding Alexander Isak’s potential transfer will also be a key factor in their preparations.