Lewis Miley’s injury-time header saw Newcastle continue their Carabao Cup title defence with a 2-1 Quarter-Final victory against Fulham at St James’ Park.
Miley headed in Newcastle’s 92nd-minute winner from Sandro Tonali’s corner delivery, after he had won the decisive set-piece with a curled low shot, which was deflected by Benjamin Lecomte.
Yoane Wissa’s 10th-minute strike from Lecomte’s deflection of Jacob Murphy’s low cross put the Magpies in front, only for Sasa Lukic to head Fulham level in the 16th minute from Antonee Robinson’s cross.
Newcastle will now meet Manchester City in their semi-final tie with the first leg at home, whilst Chelsea face a London derby in their semi-final tie against the winner of Arsenal’s Quarter-Final against Crystal Palace, with first legs set for 13/14 January followed by second legs across 3/4 February.
Having limped to a lacklustre Tyne-Wear derby defeat at Sunderland just days earlier, Newcastle began the game on the front foot but Fulham soon wasted two quick corner-kicks in succession as they began to lay a foot within the match.
Eddie Howe’s Magpies however got their early reward for their fast start ten minutes in as Jacob Murphy burst up the right and played a low cross in, which Lecomte deflected for Wissa to smash in from close range on his first start since his move from Brentford in September.
Newcastle’s recent habit of failing to protect their lead though quickly haunted them six minutes later as Joachim Andersen found Robinson up the left, and the American left-back picked out an unmarked Lukic to race into the box to smash his header past Aaron Ramsdale to restore parity.
The first half subsequently became a see-saw battle of which Newcastle had the better chances as Bruno Guimaraes rifled over in the 23rd minute, whilst Harvey Barnes, Joe Willock and Wissa saw further shots denied in an edgy finish to the half.
That pattern continued early in the second half and Newcastle’s pressure almost paid off in the 65th minute, as Murphy latched onto a pass and played a low cross which deflected in off Andersen but he was offside as he ran into the box which spared the Danish defender’s blushes.
Newcastle continued to dominate the second half but Fulham deployed a deep defensive line with view to burst forward on the counter-attack, yet it was the Magpies who almost won it in the first minute of injury time as Lecomte flicked Lewis Miley’s low curled shot away from the left corner.
Miley however wasn’t denied from the subsequent corner as he nodded in from a tight angle for his sixth senior goal and first within this competition, which ultimately sealed the title-holders’ passage to the semi-finals.
What’s Next?
Newcastle return to Premier League action on Saturday 20 December as they host Chelsea at 12:30pm GMT at St James’ Park.
Fulham will also switch their focus back to league matters as they host Nottingham Forest at Craven Cottage on Monday 22 December at 8pm.
Teams
Newcastle: Aaron Ramsdale, Lewis Miley, Fabian Schar, Malick Thiaw, Tino Livramento (A.Murphy 76′), Joe Willock (Tonali 72′), Bruno Guimaraes, Jacob Ramsey, Jacob Murphy (Elanga 85′), Yoane Wissa (Woltemade 72′), Harvey Barnes (Gordon 85′)
Substitutes: Joelinton, Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon, Alex Murphy, Sean Neave, John Ruddy, Leo Shahar, Sandro Tonali, Nick Woltemade
Fulham: Benjamin Lecomte, Kenny Tete, Joachim Andersen, Jorge Cuenca, Antonee Robinson, Sander Berge, Sasa Lukic (Reed 46′), Harry Wilson, Emile Smith Rowe (King 74′), Kevin (Traore 74′), Raul Jimenez
Substitutes: Tom Cairney, Timothy Castagne, Issa Diop, Josh King, Jonah Kusi-Asare, Bernd Leno, Harrison Reed, Seth Ridgeon, Adama Traore
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