Newcastle 3-3 Man City | Match Report

The crisp autumn air at Gateshead International Stadium set the stage for a compelling encounter as Newcastle United welcomed Manchester City in the second round of the Subway Women’s League Cup group stage. Anticipation buzzed through the stands as a top WSL arrived on Tyneside, something Becky Langley has always wanted, Andrée Jeglertz’s City side arrived fresh off a confident 3–1 win over Everton, while the Magpies looked to bounce back from a narrow 2–1 away defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Newcastle started brightly, with Jordan Nobbs testing City keeper Khiara Keating in the 9th minute. Nobbs unleashed a low drive from the edge of the box that looked destined for the bottom corner, but Keating was equal to it, diving sharply to her right to keep the scores level. Just two minutes later, the breakthrough came—and it was a stunner. Lois Joel, fresh off a wonder goal last time out at GIS, picked up the ball 25 yards out and rifled it into the top corner. The crowd erupted as Joel made it two in two, stamping her mark on the match with another jaw-dropping strike.

City, rattled but resolute, began to find their rhythm midway through the half. In the 32nd minute, Leila Ouahabi had a golden opportunity to equalise, but her close-range effort from Bunny Shaw’s delicate chipped cross skewed wide. Seven minutes later, Japanese international Maika Fujino nearly levelled the score, striking the crossbar from a tight tight angle on the right flank. Despite City’s growing pressure, Newcastle’s defence held firm—until the dying moments of the half. Deep into stoppage time, a fortunate deflection fell kindly for City’s Iman Beney, who squared the ball to Laura Coombs. The midfielder made no mistake, calmly slotting home to make it 1–1 at the break.

Just two minutes after the restart, City took the lead through Yui Hasegawa. A clever pass from Beney split the defence, and with Boddy caught unaware, the Japanese international coolly slotted past Moan to make it 2–1.

City extended their advantage in the 63rd minute following a corner. A misjudged clearance from Moan fell kindly for Gracie Prior, who made no mistake from close range to give the visitors a two-goal cushion.

Newcastle, however, refused to fold. In the 77th minute, Keating’s punch from Gregory’s cross landed at the feet of Nobbs on the edge of the area, but the midfielder slipped as she struck her volley and sent it over the bar. Redemption came five minutes later when Murphy picked out Gregory in the box, and the forward rifled a shot past Keating—who got a hand to it but couldn’t stop the power—bringing the score to 3–2.

Nobbs had another chance in the 84th minute from a free kick, but her effort sailed over. Then, in the first minute of stoppage time, the comeback was complete. Murphy turned sharply outside the box and fired low; her shot took a deflection off Hayles and nestled into the net to level the match at 3–3.

With no extra time in the group stage, the match went straight to penalties. After a tense shootout, Manchester City emerged victorious 7–6. Despite the loss, Becky Langley’s Newcastle side earned widespread praise for their resilience, spirit, and thrilling performance against one of England's very best.performance against top-tier opposition.'s team! City win it on penalties!

Venue: Gateshead international Stadium

Competition: Subway League Cup, Group Phrase

Attendance: 3,012

NUFC starting XI: Moan, Mannion, Wardlaw, Grec, Stokes, Nobbs, Boddy, Joel, Sevenius, Murphy, Gregory.

Man City XI: Keating, Layzell, Rose, Coombs, Shaw, Ouahabi, Fujino, Lohmann, Beney, Hasegawa, Prior