Champion League
UCL: Samuel Chukwueze’s goal ends Newcastle’s European adventure
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria forward, Samuel Chukwueze scored the winning goal as AC Milan secured a 2-1 win over Newcastle United in the last group game of the 2023/2024 UEFA Champions League at St James Park.
Miguel Almiron delivered the breakthrough for the English Premier League hosts in some style with 33 minutes on the clock, taking a touch and rifling a ferocious finish past Mike Maignan.
That propelled the Magpies into second spot over Paris Saint Germain thanks to the head-to-head rule, with the French side still contesting a goalless stalemate in Germany heading into halftime.
The feel-good factor was raised even more on Tyneside after the break with the news of Karim Adeyemi’s opener against PSG, which moved Newcastle a point clear of the French champions.
Warren Zaïre-Emery’s equaliser shrunk the Magpies’ advantage back to the head-to-head rule, in the first part of a double blow to Eddie Howe’s side.
Christian Pulisic leveled the scores just shy of the hour mark from close range after the American was expertly teed up in the box by Olivier Giroud.
Milan always looked a threat on the break, and the Rossoneri turned the match on its head through Chukwueze’s excellent finish at the end of a blistering counterattack.
Chukwueze replaced Yunus Musah for his Italia top-flight side in the 83rd minute before scoring his second Champions League goal of the season.
The win lifted AC Milan into third position in the group with eight points, three points ahead of Newcastle.
The third spot sealed a place in the second-tier UEFA Europa League for the Italian side.
