England worldwide Marcus Rashford, on mortgage from Man Utd, scores twice as Barcelona win 2-1 at Newcastle United.
Marcus Rashford scored his first objectives for Barcelona because the England ahead’s sensible brace impressed a 2-1 win in opposition to Newcastle within the Champions League.
Rashford struck twice within the house of 9 minutes within the second half at St James’ Park on Thursday to make a memorable return to England following his mortgage transfer from Manchester United in July.
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The 27-year-old’s first objectives within the Champions League since 2021 could have made for painful viewing for United followers, whose staff haven’t any European soccer this season and are already mired in a dismal begin to the Premier League marketing campaign.
Anthony Gordon acquired one again for Newcastle within the closing levels however it was too late to salvage some extent of their Champions League group section opener.
Rashford fell out of favour with United boss Ruben Amorim final season and was despatched on mortgage to Aston Villa within the second half of the marketing campaign earlier than being exiled to Barcelona for the entire of this time period.
As soon as feted as the way forward for English soccer after rising from United’s youth academy as a precocious teenager, Rashford’s profession has dipped badly lately amid claims he’s not targeted on his profession.
However Rashford’s vibrant efficiency on Tyneside recommended he may very well be about to embark on a long-awaited renaissance with Barcelona.
Rashford has typically made a behavior of tormenting Newcastle, and it was his seventh profession objective in opposition to the Magpies.
Off to a strong begin in La Liga with three wins from 4 video games, Barcelona have been with out Spain ahead Lamine Yamal, who was sidelined for Sunday’s 6-0 victory in opposition to Valencia with a groin harm.
However Rashford’s double ensured Yamal wasn’t missed by Hansi Flick’s staff.
Crushed by Inter Milan in final season’s Champions League semifinals, Barcelona haven’t reached the ultimate since they final lifted the trophy in 2015.
However the five-time European champions are anticipated to be among the many main contenders this season, and this was a powerful begin to their problem.
The defeat punctured Newcastle’s hopes of creating a powerful begin on their return to the Champions League after they did not make it out of the group stage in 2023-24.
Newcastle loved one of many biggest nights of their historical past when Faustino Asprilla’s hat-trick impressed a 3-2 Champions League group stage win in opposition to Barcelona in September 1997.
Nearly 28 years to the day since that outstanding night at St James’ Park, Asprilla jetted in from Colombia to observe Newcastle’s first conflict with Barcelona since 2003.
Foreshadowing his influential show, Rashford offered Barcelona’s first second of menace with a burst into the world earlier than taking pictures into the side-netting.
Newcastle referred to as the pictures for a lot of the primary half, and Anthony Elanga’s tempo unhinged Barcelona’s defence as he guided a cross in direction of Harvey Barnes for a fierce strike that Joan Garcia palmed away.
Robert Lewandowski tried to elevate Barcelona out of their lethargy, however Fabian Schar and Dan Burn threw themselves into last-ditch blocks to maintain the Pole at bay.
Rising to satisfy a nook, Newcastle midfielder Joelinton glanced a very good headed likelihood broad from six yards early within the second half.
Regardless of that slender escape, Barcelona have been far simpler after the interval and took the lead within the 58th minute.
Jules Kounde whipped his cross into the world, and Rashford simply eluded Schar to bury a strong header previous Newcastle keeper Nick Pope from 12 yards.
Rashford doubled Barcelona’s benefit within the 67th minute in beautiful fashion.
Taking possession 25 yards from objective, Rashford glided previous Sandro Tonali and unleashed a fierce strike that left Pope greedy at skinny air because it flashed into the highest nook.
Gordon arrange a tense finale when he met Jacob Murphy’s low cross with a medical close-range end within the ninetieth minute, however Barcelona held agency.