Newcastle’s second-string, who were bidding to lift the Main Cup for a third time in succession after winning the competition in 2018 and 2019, finished second in Group C on Saturday after a stalemate against Hong Kong Football Club and 1-0 victory against HKFC Captain’s Select before suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat against their Foxes counterparts.
United’s youngsters started their Main Cup quarter-final tie, against Aston Villa, in positive fashion as Diallo - who had scored two goals in three Group C matches for the young Magpies on Saturday, drawing two saves from Villa goalkeeper James Wright.
However, Newcastle were dealt a difficult blow before the half-time whistle as Tommi O’Reilly intercepted Max Thompson’s pass before, after rounding the goalkeeper, tucking the ball into an empty net.
Newcastle began the second-half on top, with Diallo almost completing a fine move involving James Huntley and Jamie Miley before the London-born winger’s effort was bravely blocked whilst Nathan Carlyon’s strike shortly after was blocked inside a crowded penalty area.
United, though, were handed a further setback as O’Reilly netted his and Villa’s second goal of the morning, latching onto a dangerous through pass before placing the ball beyond Thompson.
Despite exiting the Main Cup, Newcastle faced Queens Park Rangers for a place in the Main Shield final and it was the Magpies who took the lead as teenage striker Michael Ndiweni slotted home the opener following Jordan Hackett’s pass.
Thompson made a string of important saves to preserve Newcastle’s advantage, tipping Rayan Kolli’s low strike onto the post before the half-time break and collecting the loose ball on the goalline.
QPR equalised three minutes after the restart as Kolli completed a dangerous run before firing a low strike into the net but Huntley sent the Magpies back in front after latching onto Ndiweni’s pass before placing the ball into the far left-hand corner.
Newcastle faced Leicester in the final, a repeat of their Group C encounter a day prior, but were without the services of Alex Murphy as the Irish teenager, who joined the Magpies from Galway United last summer, picked up two successive yellow cards during the knockout rounds.
After an even encounter, Newcastle broke the deadlock in the second-half as Diallo’s low free-kick from the edge of the penalty area deflected into the net before City equalised with three minutes remaining following a low drive into the bottom right-hand corner.
With an additional four minutes to decide a winner, with the game reduced to 4v4, Newcastle importantly won the ball from kick-off and surged forward for a golden goal before Huntley, wearing the goalkeeper jersey after Thompson was brought off, fired home the winning goal to end the young Magpies’ 2022/23 campaign with a piece of silverware.
Photograph courtesy of HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens
