Football: Burn and Joelinton fire Newcastle into League Cup semis
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Newcastle manager Eddie Howe during the League Cup quarter-final against Leicester.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – A thrilled Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe said that it was “too long a wait” after his side earned a spot in the League Cup semi-finals on Tuesday.
The win kept alive the Magpies’ hopes of winning a first domestic trophy since their 1955 FA Cup success.
Second-half goals from defender Dan Burn and Brazilian Joelinton helped Newcastle beat Leicester City 2-0 at St James’ Park.
“We are delighted. It was what we wanted, the semi-final,” said Howe.
“The performance level was excellent from start to finish and we created lots of chances. Great performance.
“It was a brilliant moment for Dan Burn to score. I was asking him to speak and instead he stood up and danced! So when someone that popular has a moment like that, we ask him to celebrate.
“It has been too long a wait. We are desperate to hurry up the processes and get the team successful. Now you want to get to the final.
“We have a huge test ahead, but we are delighted to be there. We are trying to be ambitious and take no backward steps.”
Missed chances have plagued Newcastle’s recent form and again they were wasteful in front in the first half, mustering 12 shots without finding the net, with Sean Longstaff the guilty party on two occasions.
The Magpies almost edged in front immediately after the restart, but Joelinton’s prodded effort came out off the post, via Marc Albrighton’s intervention.
It was left to Burn to finally break Leicester down, with the Newcastle-born fullback finishing well on the hour mark.
The home fans did not have to wait long for a game-clinching second, as Joelinton made one count to make sure of the win.
“It would mean everything to win a trophy but we just need to focus on the next game, take it one game at a time and now we look to the Premier League,” defender Kieran Trippier told Sky Sports.
“We knew this was important because we went out of the FA Cup (a shock loss to Sheffield Wednesday in the third round). The lads were brilliant tonight.”
Leicester arrested a run of three straight defeats with victory over fourth-tier Gillingham in the FA Cup on Saturday, but they never looked like making it successive wins.
“The best team won,” manager Brendan Rodgers told the BBC.
“We are disappointed with the goals we conceded. We gave away two soft goals. We lacked quality in our play if I’m honest, but the players gave everything.
“We had a few chances in the game, good chances we could have scored from.
“But if you don’t take those opportunities it is tough.” REUTERS
