Gregor Kobel and the woodwork stood between Newcastle United earning another impressive result in the Champions League last night – and even the Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper was honest enough to put his hand up and admit it.
For while Nick Pope was on hand to make some saves from point blank range, Kobel, at the other end, stated that had it not been for the frame of the goal, Newcastle may have walked away with at least a deserved point. On a night of monsoon conditions at St James’ Park the Magpies did not get the dream start they wanted.
After Kobel had stopped Anthony Gordon in the first half, it was Felix Nmecha who went up and scored the break away goal to grab the game’s crucial strike. But Newcastle hit the bar twice in the closing stages through Callum Wilson and Gordon.
Kobel emerged afterwards and admitted: “I always try to help my team and be there when they need me. Towards the end, we had some luck when they hit the bar twice.
“Newcastle press extremely aggressively. It was very intense. We were in a bad situation after the first two games with only one point and knew it was a must-win game. We showed a lot of effort and a lot of heart.”
The win for Dortmund now leaves Group F on something of a knife edge with a victory for the club who call themselves the “Yellow and Black” meaning qualification would no longer be in Newcastle hands.
But Kobel stated it was far from over, he said: “Our goal is to qualify for the round of 16. And to do that, we have to win a few more games.
“There are four teams, all of which have top quality. We can all beat each other. It will remain exciting until the end.”
Eddie Howe was not surprised that the group is so tight at the mid-way stage, he said: “It was always going to be tight. There are top-quality teams in the group, but tonight is a blow, for us especially at home, but we have to take it.
“We now have two really tough away games and it’s important we try to get something from those games. But top quality teams, a lesson for us tonight on how fine the margins are going to be.”
