Newcastle United fell to a 3-2 penalty shootout defeat against Strasbourg at St James' Park after the second leg of the VisitMalta Weekender ended 1-1. Will Osula opened the scoring with a poacher's finish in the first half, but Gessime Yassine's second-half equaliser forced the shootout. Sean Neave and Bazoumana Toure converted their spot-kicks, but misses from Osula, Jacob Ramsey, and Aladji Bamba, alongside two saves from Ewen Jaouen, handed Strasbourg the VisitMalta Trophy.
Bamba's Pressing Impresses Jaissle
Aladji Bamba delivered his best showing in a Newcastle shirt to date, pressing high and forcing Strasbourg into an error before feeding Osula through on goal. The subsequent cutback found Toure eight yards out, but his right-footed effort sailed over the bar. Head coach Matthias Jaissle shouted his approval, and Jacob Murphy gave the 20-year-old a congratulatory hug, with both men appreciating his commitment to winning the ball high up the pitch.
Toure was also bright, and both players have given Jaissle a decision to make regarding his midfield and winger selections against Liverpool next week. Jaouen, meanwhile, took confidence from a brilliant late save to force penalties and then saved two of the five spot-kicks he faced.
Osula Repays Faith
Newcastle insiders remain confident Osula will become a leading Premier League forward, and they have not entertained selling him despite interest this summer. He began to repay that faith with a header past Strasbourg goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen to open the scoring. He had other chances to add to his tally and may need to be more ruthless, but he is a favourite to start up front against Liverpool, possibly alongside or instead of Yoane Wissa.
Experience Shows in Defence and Midfield
Dan Burn and Fabian Schar's experience anchored a backline featuring youngsters Leo Shahar and Dylan Charlton. Both are 34 but remain valuable, with Burn returning from England's World Cup semi-final run and his appointment as captain of his boyhood club. Murphy impressed, creating Osula's goal and several other chances, while Joe Willock had a good game in the No 10 role. Jacob Ramsey was arguably the best player on the pitch until he lost the ball for Strasbourg's equaliser, which drew a furious reaction from Jaissle on the touchline.
Strasbourg's Record and NUFC Women's Defeat
Strasbourg had lost all five of their pre-season matches before this game, including a 7-0 defeat to Sporting CP and a 5-2 loss to Elversberg. Their shootout win ended that dire record, making the defeat feel like a missed opportunity for Newcastle to end the summer on a high.
Earlier in the day, Newcastle Women lost 2-0 to Inter Milan, with goals from Marie Detruyer and Elisa Polli. Tanya Oxtoby's side will now head to Spain for a warm-weather training camp, featuring friendlies against Valencia and Manchester United, as they bid for promotion to the WSL.
