Dominik Szoboszlai's Late Penalty Secures Draw for Liverpool Against Newcastle
Dominik Szoboszlai buried a penalty deep into stoppage time to rip the points from Newcastle’s grasp and cap a breathless Premier League contest that felt straight out of Kevin Keegan’s heyday.
The Hungary international held his nerve in the ninth minute of added time, drilling from 12 yards to seal a 2-2 draw and stretch Liverpool’s unbeaten run at St James’ Park to 10 matches. Lewis Hall was judged to have tripped substitute Victor Munoz, and after a long, fraught wait, Szoboszlai did the rest.
Newcastle looked devastated. They thought they had won it. They probably should have.
A day made for Keegan – and a game to match
On a day when Tyneside and Merseyside came together to celebrate Keegan’s impact on both clubs, the script never stood still. Both teams warmed up in Keegan number seven shirts, an emotional prelude that quickly gave way to hostility once the whistle went and Alexander Isak’s name was read out.
The £130 million striker endured a grim return to St James’ Park, jeered relentlessly by the home crowd he once thrilled. In his shadow, Yoane Wissa produced his most complete display yet in black and white, the new attacking focal point snapping into challenges, linking play and stretching Liverpool’s back line.
Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle, only weeks into the job and still working with a squad that may change again before the window closes, saw plenty to encourage him. Across the technical area, Andoni Iraola left with a point, some relief, and a handful of awkward questions.
Newcastle strike early, Liverpool stumble
The mood inside St James’ flipped almost instantly. Five minutes in, Amar Dedic, impressive on debut, slid a clever pass into Will Osula. One touch, one look, and Osula threaded Anthony Elanga through on goal.
Elanga did the rest. He burned away from Milos Kerkez, opened his body and guided a right-foot finish across Alisson Becker and into the far corner. The jeers for Isak turned to a roar for the new era.
Liverpool tried to answer straight away. Lukas Hornicek had to react sharply to beat away a deflected effort from Florian Wirtz on 18 minutes, but Newcastle’s looseness in possession kept inviting the Reds forward. They flirted with danger without fully succumbing to it.
Lewis Miley, composed and ambitious in midfield, pinged a raking diagonal to Dedic on 22 minutes. The full-back’s shot clipped Kerkez and looped behind for a corner. Jeremy Jacquet then did just enough to stop Osula from latching onto a Wissa through-ball that would have left Liverpool exposed again.
For all their dominance of the ball, Liverpool created little of real substance. Szoboszlai hammered a 26th-minute free-kick straight into the wall after being pulled back by Wissa, and the home side took their slender 1-0 lead into the break without too much late panic.
Gakpo drags Liverpool back – then Willock answers instantly
Szoboszlai emerged after the interval intent on dragging Liverpool forward, his early corner causing anxiety in the Newcastle box. Yet it was the hosts who should have landed the first blow of the half when Harvey Barnes and Elanga broke at speed, only to waste a promising counter. Moments later, Miley failed to properly test Alisson with a 48th-minute effort.
Liverpool began to edge higher. Cody Gakpo curled a 53rd-minute strike just over with Hornicek rooted. It felt like a warning. Two minutes later, he made it count.
Given too much time and space 25 yards out, Gakpo stepped onto the ball and unleashed a skidding drive that tore past Hornicek and into the net. 1-1, and suddenly the away end believed.
Newcastle answered almost instantly.
Wissa, again at the heart of it, used his quick feet to unpick the Liverpool defence and feed substitute Joe Willock, who had only just entered the pitch. Willock stepped inside, opened his body and swept an unerring finish across Alisson and into the far corner.
Seconds on the field, back on the scoresheet, and St James’ shook.
Newcastle push for the kill, Liverpool cling on
With the crowd surging behind them, Jaissle’s side hunted a third. Substitute Jacob Ramsey arrived onto a 70th-minute volley but dragged his effort wide when he should at least have worked Alisson. Wissa then found himself one-on-one, only for the Liverpool goalkeeper to stand tall and block.
Those missed chances lingered as the clock ticked into stoppage time. Newcastle had control, the noise, the momentum. They did not have the knockout punch.
Liverpool, worn down but never quite beaten, kept asking questions. One final ball, one final dart into the box, and the game flipped.
Munoz tangled with Hall, went down, and referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot. Hall’s reaction said everything: shock, disbelief, a sense of injustice. The decision stood.
Szoboszlai placed the ball, waited, and drove it home.
St James’ fell quiet for the first time all afternoon as Liverpool escaped with a point and Newcastle were left to ponder how a statement win had slipped away in the ninth minute of added time.
