Lewis Miley sends Newcastle United into another Carabao Cup semi-final with late goal to see off Fulham
Newcastle United are heading for another Carabao Cup semi-final after beating Fulham 2-1 at St James' Park in the quarter-finals.
It looked like the two sides were heading for a penalty shootout after Sasa Lukic cancelled out Yoane Wissa's opener in the first half, but in second-half stoppage time, Lewis Miley nodded home a winner from a corner.
It was Yoane Wissa's first start for Newcastle, and the DR Congo forward took just 10 minutes to get his name on the scoresheet.
Jacob Murphy put in a powerful ball into the box, which was palmed out by the Fulham goalkeeper, but only into the path of the on-rushing Wissa, who just needed to guide the ball into the net. It was a pure poacher's finish and exactly what Newcastle have been missing this season.
Newcastle made hard work of it at times, but that's par for the course these days
In truth, that goal had come against the run of play, so it wasn't really much of a shock when Fulham restored parity just six minutes later via the head of Sasa Lukic. It was a shockingly simplistic goal for Newcastle to concede, and it took all the atmosphere out of the stadium.
However, Newcastle actually responded well and took control of the game from then on.
Having said that, though, for all of Newcastle's possession and pressure, it was the same old story of there not being much in terms of goal threat.
The Carabao Cup is the Newcastle United Cup
Howe made good use of his bench late on, throwing on Sandro Tonali, Nick Woltemade, Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga, but it was youngster Miley, who started the game as right-back and did a fine job, who made the difference in the end.
After some intense pressure in and around the Fulham box, the ball fell to Miley, and he stroked a left-footed curling effort towards the far post. It look an almost certain goal, but Benjamin Lecomte got down super quick and tipped the ball around the post.
Unfortunately, he could do nothing about the touch Miley got on the resulting corner, which took the ball over his head and into the back of the net.
Fulham had clearly been playing for penalties, and it bit them in the arse, but Kenny Tete almost granted them their wish with a fizzing effort right at the end of the game, which just went over Aaron Ramsdale's bar.
Newcastle march on in the competition they won last season. Can they do it again?
