Paris St-Germain started strongly at the Parc des Princes, testing Newcastle almost immediately. The hosts were handed a penalty after a VAR check judged the ball had deflected from Bradley Barcola onto Lewis Miley’s arm inside the area. Referee Slavko Vincic reviewed the footage on the monitor before awarding the spot-kick, echoing memories of a controversial late penalty PSG scored in this fixture in 2023.
Ousmane Dembele stepped up, but Nick Pope reacted sharply, diving to his left to push the attempt away and keep the match scoreless. Despite that moment of resistance, PSG soon broke through when Vitinha found space outside the box, took his time and fired beyond Pope.
Newcastle stayed composed and found their response just before the break. Joe Willock drifted into an unmarked position and met the ball with a powerful header past Matvej Safonov, scoring his first goal in the Champions League and silencing the home crowd.
Newcastle resilience keeps knockout hopes alive
Eddie Howe had rotated heavily, making five alterations to his line-up, and his faith in the squad was rewarded through Willock’s performance. The visitors stuck to a defensive shape, hoping to absorb pressure and counter using their physical strength and pace.
The match remained open after the interval. PSG created opportunities but could not convert, with Dembele and Barcola both sending efforts over the crossbar. Newcastle also threatened, as Safonov struggled to deal cleanly with a Jacob Ramsey attempt and later pushed away a fierce strike from Anthony Gordon.
The clearest late chance fell to substitute Harvey Barnes, who volleyed narrowly wide into the side netting despite having the goal at his mercy. Both sides ultimately settled for a draw, meaning each team moved into the play-off round, with PSG finishing one position above Newcastle in 11th place.
Determined display boosts Newcastle confidence
The visitors faced a difficult situation after conceding early and playing in a hostile atmosphere in Paris. Even when PSG lost Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to injury in the first half, Luis Enrique could call upon Desire Doue from the bench, highlighting the depth available to the French side.
Newcastle, however, defended with determination. Sven Botman blocked a dangerous effort from Achraf Hakimi, while Lewis Hall also made an important intervention to stop a shot from Doue.
Howe’s players nearly completed the turnaround and were applauded by travelling supporters after full-time. Although they must now add two play-off matches into an already busy schedule, this performance suggested they can compete for a place in the last 16 if they maintain this level of commitment.
