A late goal from Shane Long saves a point for Southampton in an entertaining draw at St James' Park.
Ronald Koeman's men had taken the lead through Pelle in the 24th minute, but were pegged back by goals from Cisse and Wijnaldum either side of half time. Substitute, Shane Long, was introduced in the 75th minute and made an instant impact, as the Irish international headed home the equaliser.
The first chance of the game fell to Newcastle United new-boy, Georginio Wijnaldum, in the 7th minute. A powerful run down the right flank from Moussa Sissoko culminated in the Frenchman laying the ball off to Wijnaldum on the edge of the penalty. The new signing’s subsequent first time effort on goal however, was well blocked by Steven Davis.
In a frantic opening twenty minutes, the visitors also came close to taking the lead on two occasions. Cedric latched onto a chipped through ball from Tadic, before working Tim Krul in the Newcastle goal with a low right footed effort. Moments later, the Newcastle United number one was called into action once again, this time by Tadic. The attacking midfielder’s long range effort was seemingly set to nestle in the bottom left corner of the net, however Krul was able to shimmy across his goal-line and palm around the post.
Pelle opens the scoring
After being denied the opener twice by Krul, at the third time of asking, Southampton finally took the lead. Pelle rose highest at the back post to latch onto a Cedric cross from the right flank, to head home the Saints’ first goal of the Premier League season.
Newcastle reacted well to going behind, and could have re-established the stalemate minutes later through Fabricio Coloccini. The captain controlled a Wijnaldum set piece inside the penalty area, and rifled a low volleyed effort toward the bottom left corner of the net. Although the ball flew past a hapless Stekelenburg in the Southampton goal, Steven Davis was able to track back and clear the ball before it could cross the line.
In the 42nd minute, the home side deservedly grabbed an equaliser in a rather fortunate fashion. Massadio Haidara’s deflected cross from the left flank looped over the head of Stekelenburg and into the path of Papiss Cisse, who subsequently chested the ball into an empty net.
Debut goal for Wijnaldum
At the start of the second half, a flurry of action culminated in Newcastle United taking the lead. After Tim Krul miraculously denied a Yoshida header from point blank range, the home side broke quickly out of their defensive third through Sissoko. The French international flicked the ball over the head of Matt Targett and into the path of Obertan who, subsequently, was able to curl the ball into penalty area. Obertan’s cross from the right flank was met in on the edge of the six yard box by Wijnaldum; and the new signing confidently powered the ball into the top right hand corner of the net to mark his Premier League debut with a goal.
Southampton largely dominated throughout the remainder of the second half, and justly re-established parity through the substitute Shane Long. After some patient build-up play from the Saints, the Irish international rose well at the back post to head the ball into the top left corner of the net from a wonderful Tadic cross.
In added time at the end of the game, Mane came agonisingly close to securing all three points for the visitors. The Senegalese winger darted infield from the right flank and waltzed past Coloccini on the edge of the penalty; however his subsequent curling effort on goal rolled inches wide of the Krul’s left post.
Newcastle United travel to the Liberty Stadium to face Swansea City next week; while Southampton welcome Everton to St Mary's.