December 11, (THEWILL) — Newcastle United’s pattern of late concessions continued on Wednesday when Alejandro Grimaldo struck in the 88th minute to earn Bayer Leverkusen a 2-2 draw at BayArena.
Eddie Howe’s side fell behind in the 13th minute through an unfortunate own goal from Bruno Guimaraes, who deflected Robert Andrich’s close-range header over the line. The Magpies avoided further trouble when Malick Thiaw brought down Patrik Schick just outside the box, a borderline call that spared Newcastle from both a penalty concession and a potential red card.
Anthony Gordon equalised from the penalty spot early in the second half after goalkeeper Mark Flekken tangled with Nick Woltemade. Gordon then turned provider with a cross that teenage substitute Lewis Miley headed in to give the visitors the lead.
The match entered a frantic period in which Flekken denied Thiaw before Jacob Murphy hit the post. Aaron Ramsdale had to recover sharply after Gordon’s heavy pass and the goalkeeper’s rushed clearance created a chance for Nathan Tella.
Leverkusen capitalised on the mounting pressure when Grimaldo dummied a pass before collecting Ibrahim Maza’s lay-off and finishing under Ramsdale. The late equaliser means Newcastle continue to suffer from their inability to protect leads in the UEFA Champions League.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
