As you can see by the picture, some kid somewhere will be disappointed this morning when he wakes up to find the bridge from his train set has gone missing, but at least it’s in the safe hands of Captain Colo, who again showed how important he is going to be for us this season with a classy display.
All in all it was a good workout with Demba Ba and Ryan Taylor doing the damage in a night of rare chances on the Algarve. Quite a lot of players managed to grab a full90minutes highlighting that we are getting along just fine in our pre-season preparations and once again we managed to come through without losing any of our “big hitters” to injury.
The first half was a half of few chances with the best one falling to Papiss Cisse who fired over the bar from eight yards out after good work from Demba Ba. Other than that I’m struggling to recall a time when either ‘keeper was tested during the first period.
However that changed in the second half as the chances started to flow. First off Jose Luis broke clear and took the ball round Steve Harper only to find James Tavernier on hand to block his effort and usher it out for a corner. It was Newcastle who had the next chance though just after the hour mark when Sylvain Marveaux jinked his way into the penalty box only to be upended by Douglao who was booked for his tackle. Demba Ba stepped and saw his spot kick saved only to be on hand to tuck the rebound through the legs of the Portuguese goalkeeper.
The lead didn’t last long however and parity was restored just five minutes later through Ruben Amorim who saw his shot take a cruel deflection off the leg of Fabricio Coloccini leaving Steve Harper with no chance. A shame as 60 seconds prior to that Sammy Ameobi had thought he’s made it 2-0 to United only to see his chested effort ruled out for offside.
Ryan Taylor restored the lead with a thunderbolt free-kick that left Beto – on the brink of tears after Ba’s penalty – bemused and beaten all ends up.
Braga didn’t die though and they created several chances to equalise, with Ze Luis causing the Newcastle defence problems with his pace and direct running as he struck the post with a curling effort. However their challenge all but came to an end when Brandao hammered into Sammy Ameobi before giving the assistant referee a mouthful which left the referee no choice bout to produce a second yellow card to condemn the defender to the stands for the remainder of the match.
Yohan Cabaye could have put some gloss on the finish but his volleyed finish bounced up off the turf and had to be tipped over by Beto which pretty much wrapped up proceedings for the night.
Final score: Newcastle 2-1 SC Braga
I’d just like to apologise for the delay in getting this article to you. My original plan was to get up at 2:30am and write this before I went to work but unfortunately I overslept so couldn’t quite get it finished in time. Still, better late than never I guess.
Howay the lads!
Newcastle: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Fabricio Coloccini, James Tavernier, Ryan Taylor, Sammy Ameobi, Cheik Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez, Sylvain Marveaux, Papiss Cisse, Demba Ba
Subs: Tim Krul, James Perch, Mike Williamson, Paul Dummett, Steven Taylor, Davide Santon, Yohan Cabaye, Gael Bigirimana, Gabriel Obertan, Haris Vuckic, Mehdi Abeid, Romain Amalfitano, Shola Ameobi
SC Braga: Beto, Baiano, Douglao, Paulo Vinicius, Luis Alberto, Ruben Amorim, Carlao, Paulo Cesar, Ismaily, Manoel, Djamal
Substitutes: Custodio, Hugo Viana, Salino, Mossoro, Alan, Helder Barbosa, Jose Luis, Eder, Lima, Cristiano, Elderson
Hmm, not a ship then 😳 , wonder why it’s modelled after a bridge, connecting Newcastle to the island of success next season maybe? 😎
Andymag(Quote)
Andy ,as long as it don’t represent a bridge over troubled water I’ll be happy. 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
It will go nicely with our inter toto cup trophy we won a few years ago
Grafton83(Quote)
Yeah well done to the Lads hopefully this is a sign of thinks to come 😀
Kim http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-PNun-Pfb4
Big Dave(Quote)
This trophy is nothing on the won we won vs Deportivo last year 😉
Newkie(Quote)
Two years ago even, **** me 😐
Newkie(Quote)
http://yfrog.com/n629f6rsjj
Had to go back to your post of in on org Toonsy 😆
Newkie(Quote)
I think this has been one of the best planned pre seasons, Its all well and good smashing Darlo or Hartlepool and playing in testimonials for ***** lower league players weve never heard of but the only way for the young lads to prepare for next season is to play some solid european regulars.
Braga finished 3rd in the portugese league and the got to the uefa cup final the year before, Fenerbache and Olympiakos have won loads of honours and are champions league regulars and monaco are a club that has done well in europe in the not too recent past (even if they are 2nd tier now)
The performances havent been classics but lads like Bigi, Sammy, Abeid, Tavernier, Amalfitano and Gosling have all more than held their own which bodes well for next season when we need to rotate the squad…
CC(Quote)
Off topic but Beastie has done his knee in playing in a friendly for Blackburn. He really has **** luck doesn’t he. Well at least we got 3 million from the chicken guys.
Joe(Quote)
CC-Agree with you, they’re exactly the kind of teams we’ll meet in the EL if we do well so we need to get wise to other styles of play.
Certainly better than playing another prem club…in China 😯
Although I do kind of miss the American commentators from last year… 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Aye some belting pronunciations this time last year, Steven Taylors loan spell at Why-comb wonders being my personal favourite… 😉
CC(Quote)
Nah it was all about Shake Tea OH Tay and Amy Obi 😆
Newkie(Quote)
well said cc ,the lads have done us proud ,with these good youngsters and 1 or 2 senior newcomers we are gona give next seasol one hell of a go!
stevo(Quote)
It’s been a slightly better pre-season than last year hasn’t it?! 😕
I think what has been quite pleasing for me is that we are playing the kind of teams we’ll be facing in Europa – and performing pretty well without fielding our strongest team yet. I know they are friendlies and our opponents probably haven’t fielded their strongest team either, but I think it’s fair to say that they have still been physical contests.
I read a good article today from Tav, who has now won 2 pre-season tournaments. He was saying it has been a valueable experience for the players and have given them a hunger for winning.
I think there have been alot of positives so far. The new lads look good, Tav and Abeid have proven they are ready and good enough to be in the squad now and having Taylor and Marv back is like new signings.
Speaking of new signings – be bloody great to see some sod in soon 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
yep sharpy tavernier went and came back with the hongkong super sevens trophy this year first time nufc have won it!….credit to the lad and the younguns.also youngsters done well in the milk cup,good for the club alround i say.maybe this season is gona be a trophy filled one ………..i know we will do well…haway the toon! have any other prem club won any trophys this pre-season?
!
stevo(Quote)
Big Dave@4 😀 😎 I thought I would add to my Blockheads track yesterday. Nice to hear the track again ,thanks Dave. 😀
Hopeing yesterdays Trophy is the start of many more.
kimtoon(Quote)
one more thing about the tavernier thing my grandmother said a lot of lucky things come in 3S maybe another silver trophy this season?(hope someone remembers this post later in the season…….im usually good at predictions….(still cant get 6 numbers on lotto though…lol)
stevo(Quote)
Talking of trophies, if we could win one, which one would you guys rather us win, F.A Cup or Europa League?
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy @ 13 > “having Taylor and Marv back is like new signings.” 😆
you sound like Jabba’s PR man 😀 I can never get me heed round that saying even more so when we have had him for over 10 yrs 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
fa cup for me …but i feel europa this season…….remeber lads our thoughts become things!
stevo(Quote)
Yeah, we have had a good pre-season so far and played some better opposition than recent years. It’s probably for the best as I think there’s only so much they can learn from playing Darlo and Carlisle.
DJG(Quote)
Newkie for me FA cup 😉
Stevo maybe well get 3 quality players in 😆 I think we would be lucky then
Big Dave(Quote)
Newkie I’d rather we won the FA cup as it would put to bed the whole trophy drought thing (I don’t count that bridge thing as ending our trophy drought, or the championship, I mean a top level trophy 🙂 ) If we won the Europa league there’d probably be some mackem say, ‘the champions league is the proper one’ or something like that. Although I think the Europa League would be harder to win possibly than the FA Cup.
DJG(Quote)
1) Champions League
=2) FA Cup
=2) Premier league
3) Europa League
4) League Cup
10) Johnson’s paint trophy
99) mickey mouse
1000) Intertoto 🙂
DJG(Quote)
off topic i see Best has done his knee playing for b/burn,shame for the lad,but on the evil side pleased hes done it after he left 😮
icedog(Quote)
Anyone else noticed that the BBC/olympics have done the honerable thing and are calling our stadia by its rightful name? Good on them
Rinton man(Quote)
Rinton – not about the BBC, olympics don’t allow any companies names other than official olympic partners
Dubtoon(Quote)
Dub @ 26 your spot on there 😉
Ice was it a bad one ? but he has been injured quite a lot with us too
Big Dave(Quote)
My favorite moment frOm this game was when their keeper looked like he was going to cry for his whole family after Demba megged him
AndrewT(Quote)
DAVE it seems bad m8 the way they are talking,gets scan monday 😐
icedog(Quote)
FA cup without a shadow of a doubt ,last two times we made the final we just didn’t show up which was awful .Having said that any cup will do as I think once we win one others will follow as often happens .We just need to break that duck that’s all.
kimtoon(Quote)
Best of luck to Best as well that’s terrible bad luck for the lad. 🙁
kimtoon(Quote)
When’s the den haag game?
andymag(Quote)
Probably agree with you lads on the trophy front….I think there’s just so much more history to the F.A cup and there’s a number of teams I’d love to do over in a final, like many have done to us 👿
Newkie(Quote)
DJG
I’d much rather win the PL than the FA cup, and although there’s not much money in it I think the Europa cup is bigger than the FA cup.
andymag(Quote)
Andy ,us oldies would prefer the FA cup cause we remember when it really meant something .It still holds a certain magic for me .
kimtoon(Quote)
I reckon if the FA CUP winner was to be given a CL spot instead of the team that finishes 4th you would soon see people take it more seriously again. I really think it would reignite the passion it’s lost ,even if it is for the cash cow it can bestow. 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
F.A. cup for me, but the EUROPA would give us bigger creditably around europe, which in turn, would be better, when we are after players next term.
toonsoldier9(Quote)
Toonsoldier9
Aye, the global audience doesnt give a f-ck if a team won a domestic knock-out cup, but if its top European teams against one another then more people would be interested.
Kim@36
I agree, if it was the top 3 and the FA cup winners that get a CL place, with the forth placed team getting it if the FA cup winning team was one of the top3 then more would take it seriously. That could work quite well actually, it would distance the FA cup from the league cup(Carling/Capital cup).
1)PL winners(group place)
2)CL place(group place)
3)CL place(group place)
*FA cup winner(Qualifying place)
4)Europa group (unless one of top 3 wins FAcup in which case 4th gets qualifying place)
5)Europa 2nd round qualifiers(takes @4 group place in previous scenario)
*League cup winner(1st round qualifier even if FA cup is won by top 3)
andymag(Quote)
Forgot to say that if a one of the top 3 wins the FA cup than the 2nd round qualifying place goes to the team that finished 6th in the league and the team that finished 7th if the league cup winner is already in a European place.
andymag(Quote)
Anyone who would rather win the FA Cup than the premier league are off their trolleys. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
troy – 😉 😯 😯 🙄 😆 😆 😆 😆 😀 😕 😕 😕 😕 😉
toonsoldier9(Quote)
Troy
Aye, do I want a cup that few teams bother to go after, that will get me winnings that are just over a million pounds, that no one actually cares about and will only get you a Europa qualifying place? OR do I want to win a highly contested league, that will win you close to a hundred million, that gets a global audience of just below one billion and will secure you a group place in the Champions league? 😕 😕
andymag(Quote)
Troy and Andy . Well I can’t argue with that logic but since we are a million miles from winning the PL, for the time being I will settle for the FA cup and carry on being an old romantic . 😀
kimtoon(Quote)
Troy in our time I think the best we can hope for is the FA because I don’t think we’ll ever see us win the Prem me old bean.
Kim @ 35 yeah I don’t think the younguns have the same feelings about the FA cup
TOONSOLDIER9 @ 37 yeah your right but the top players we could get would cost big money and want big wages so I don’t think that would benefit us that much 😉 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave – 😉 😀 – just helping Pardew out with the excuses when it gets to the last week in Aug and we’ve still not got anyone in 😉
“well you know, it’s been more difficult to get our top transfer targets in than we thought, but theres still a week left to go, and to be honest with you, having Taylor and Sylvain back this
season is like 2 new signings anyway” 😆
See we are being linked with Pieters … again?!
Either Pardew really wants him in or the journalists writing this are beyond lazy!!
Ice – saw that about Best, and thought exactly the same mate. Poor sod, hope he’s not too badly injured, he always worked hard for us like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy 😉 thats good of ye mate helping them out, but I think you’ll find Lambastad has wrote Pards a book full of excuses 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Aye Dave, ya probably right mate 🙄
Though I’m still hopeful that he won’t be using them this window
Sharpy17(Quote)
Well done to the Mens GB footie team too ,did well tonight. 😀
kimtoon(Quote)
Dave and Sharpy .I reckon Debuchy will be here tuesday. 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
Oh yeah, I’d want the league more than the cup any day of the week. It was purely between EL and FA cup.
To be honest I think it might vary on the situation for me as well…I’d much rather us beat say Inter Milan in a final over Birmingham or summit…
ideally I’d like to beat Manure in a FA cup final, would be sweet
Pull your finger out Pards and sort it out man…
Newkie(Quote)
Cabaye is saying that debuchy has his heart set on a move to the toon
Alex(Quote)
kim
nah its twill’ be friday 😉
andymag(Quote)
Prem by a mile for me. Winning the fa cup is 50% luck. The Prem is 100% earned
MDS(Quote)
Plus you win the Prem the whole footballing world takes notice. Anymore, no one outside England cares about the fa cup sorry to say
MDS(Quote)
MDS @ 55: Many would disagree with that statement.
It is estimated that a world cup qualifier between Australia and Japan had a television audience of close to 500million. Many more than that watch the EPL. The FA cup is still a big ticket item for Asian football fans.
brisvegas(Quote)
City want 5 more players then 🙄
Would be nice if we could steal Guidetti and Johnson from them… 😆
Newkie(Quote)
I can’t speak for Asia bris, but in my travels all anyone seems to care about is the league plus CL.
FA cup used to be far bigger than it is now IMO…
MDS(Quote)
Agree with MDS, the FA cup has lost a bit of the luster it used to have.. In Oz there used to be some real buzz leading up to the game but the past few years there has been very little. The game comes and goes and there is a fair tv audience but it is not what it used to be 😕
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
FA Cup for me, tradition, excitement and the old fashioned random draw with the final at Wembley.
Robert(Quote)
It may well be that the cup isn’t as popular as it used to be, and I agree that the EC is a bigger event, but having hundreds of millions of people watching the game means there is still worldwide interest.
brisvegas(Quote)
Robert
Not forgetting an appearance in the Charity Shield, and chance of more silverware 😉
JJ(Quote)