Newcastle United faced another late setback as Bayer Leverkusen secured a 2-2 draw in the Champions League at BayArena. Eddie Howe's team has struggled with late goals this season, and Alejandro Grimaldo's
equaliser in the 88th minute continued this trend. Earlier, Newcastle had managed to overturn a deficit to take the lead.
Bruno Guimaraes inadvertently put Leverkusen ahead in the 13th minute by deflecting Robert Andrich's header into his own net. Newcastle was fortunate not to concede a penalty when Malick Thiaw fouled Patrik Schick just outside the box, avoiding both a penalty and a red card. Instead, Newcastle was awarded a penalty early in the second half after Mark Flekken tangled with Nick Woltemade. Anthony Gordon converted from 12 yards, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Gordon nearly scored again with a left-footed shot that hit the post. He then assisted Lewis Miley, who headed in from Gordon's cross. During a frantic period, Flekken denied Thiaw, Jacob Murphy hit the post, and Aaron Ramsdale recovered well after a risky clearance set up Nathan Tella for a chance.
Despite these efforts, Newcastle couldn't withstand Leverkusen's pressure. A clever pass allowed Grimaldo to dummy before finishing under Ramsdale after receiving Ibrahim Maza's lay-off. This result mirrored their recent draw against Tottenham, where they also failed to hold onto a lead late in the game.
Newcastle has dropped more points from winning positions than any other Premier League team this season, with 11 points lost. This issue has persisted in Europe; they previously surrendered a lead against Marseille in their last Champions League match. However, they did create chances worth 2.07 xG against Leverkusen.
It ends level in Leverkusen.
Newcastle United (@NUFC)
Statistical Insights and Player Highlights
This match marked only the second time Newcastle recovered from trailing at halftime to secure a draw in 11 Champions League games. Before this season, they had lost every match where they fell behind. Anthony Gordon's performance stands out positively for Howe; he has been directly involved in seven goals (five goals and two assists) in the Champions League this season—only Kylian Mbappe has more with nine.
The game highlighted Newcastle's ongoing struggle to maintain leads but also showcased their ability to create scoring opportunities and fight back from deficits.
