Newcastle's forgotten man returns with sublime touch

Newcastle United win 4-3 on penalties

- RICHARD JOLLY

It was Sandro Tonali’s first touch of a ball in competitive football for 10 months, or 308 days, or 41 Newcastle matches. He had sat out the end of their first Champions League campaign in two decades; the whole of Italy’s Euro 2024. Whatever the measure, it was an achingly long absence.

And if there was a sense Tonali was determined to make up for lost time after a betting ban derailed his career and denied him almost a year of football, he touched the ball and, perhaps a couple of seconds later and 18 into the game, Newcastle were ahead.

In a tie decided by the last touch, by Sean Longstaff’s winning penalty in the shootout, Newcastle’s fastest ever League Cup goal may yet lead to something that has eluded them since 1969, in silverware. Tonali’s comeback was in the Carabao Cup and Newcastle progressed on penalties: with Joelinton missing, without Nick Pope saving but because Nottingham Forest squandered their advantage in the shootout. Ibrahim Sangare hit the bar. Taiwo Awoniyi went hither still, ballooning his spot kick. The 2023 finalists advanced.