Liverpool icon Dietman ‘Didi’ Hamann has lauded Newcastle United for their stellar performance against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), backing them to go as far as the semi-finals in the Champions League this season.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United welcomed Luis Enrique’s PSG to St. James’ Park for their UEFA Champions League Matchday 2 appointment on Wednesday night. The hosts dominated proceedings from start to finish, securing a comfortable 4-1 victory against their lofty opponents.
Hamann Lauds Newcastle’s Cohesion Against PSG
Hamann, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, was thoroughly impressed with the Magpies’ performance against Les Parisiens. Speaking to Sky Sports Germany (via SportWitness), the German backed Howe’s men to go deep into the tournament this year.
He said:
“They’ll be talking about this game for years and decades. We’ve seen what a good team they are once they get going. I’ve said it before with this team, it’s about cohesion.
“It’s just a wonderful mix with excellent individual players. Now they’re playing against Dortmund and if they win it looks very good. I believe that this team is one or two of the big teams in the competition.”
Hamann concluded by adding:
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up in the quarter or semi-finals because they really have tremendous cohesion. There is also euphoria around the club because they haven’t had this for a long time. The club can generate a special momentum.”
Newcastle United Were Too Hot To Handle For PSG
Despite having a superior team on paper, PSG could not hold their ground against the determined Newcastle. The hosts drew first blood through Miguel Almiron in the 17th minute, with the speedster tapping home Alexander Isak’s rebound. Six minutes before halftime, Bruno Guimaraes found Daniel Burn with an inch-perfect cross, allowing him to double Newcastle’s advantage with a header.
In the 50th minute, Kieran Trippier dashed down the right flank and found Sean Longstaff inside the area. The midfielder dispatched a right-booted strike to take the ball beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma and make it 3-0 for Newcastle. PSG got one goal back through Lucas Hernandez in the 56th minute but failed to build on to their momentum, allowing Howe’s men to regain their foothold.
Newcastle defender Fabian Schar put the cherry on top in the 91st minute, scoring a scorcher from outside the box to make it 4-1 for the hosts. With the win, Newcastle moved to the top of Group F, while PSG slipped to second place.
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