Some football matches are just built differently. You sit through long periods of tactical chess, and then, in the blink of an eye, absolute chaos erupts. That’s exactly what we got at St James' Park, where a seemingly straightforward game exploded into a whirlwind of drama, controversy, and last-second heroics, ending in a dramatic Newcastle United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur draw.
Key Highlights
- ✓ Defender Cristian Romero scored two goals for Spurs, including a stunning overhead kick in the 95th minute.
- ✓ Newcastle were awarded a contentious penalty after a VAR review, which Anthony Gordon converted to make it 2-1.
- ✓ All four goals were scored in the final 20 minutes of the match, after a goalless first half.
- ✓ Spurs manager Thomas Frank called the penalty decision "absolutely a big mistake from the VAR."
- ✓ Spurs managed only two shots on target the entire game, and scored from both of them.
The hero of the hour? None other than Spurs captain and defender, Cristian Romero, who channeled his inner superstar striker to bag two goals and salvage a crucial point for his side. His final act, a jaw-dropping overhead kick deep into injury time, was the kind of moment that leaves an entire stadium stunned into silence.
A Game That Woke Up Late
For the first 70 minutes, this match was a cagey affair. At half-time, it was 0-0, and you wouldn't have been blamed for thinking it might fizzle out. But then, the floodgates opened. Newcastle, who were arguably the better team on balance, finally broke the deadlock in the 71st minute. Bruno Guimaraes provided a moment of magic with an outstanding finish, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
But the lead was short-lived. Just seven minutes later, Tottenham found a response from the most unlikely of sources. After a corner wasn't properly cleared, Kudus worked his way down the right and sent in a low cross. There was Cristian Romero, stooping at the near post to send a powerful diving header into the net. It was a classic striker’s goal, and it was Spurs' very first attempt on target. Out of nowhere, it was 1-1.
The Controversial Turning Point
Just when you thought the momentum was shifting, the game took another dramatic turn. In the 82nd minute, a Newcastle corner sailed over everyone's heads. In the chaos, Newcastle's towering defender Dan Burn went to the ground after a tussle with Rodrigo Bentancur. The referee initially saw nothing, but VAR intervened for a long, hard look.
The referee was sent to the pitch-side monitor, a sight that almost always spells trouble for the defending team. The replay showed Bentancur gently hugging Burn to the floor without looking at the ball. The official announcement confirmed a holding offence, and a penalty was awarded to Newcastle. It felt incredibly soft, and the Spurs players and bench were in absolute disbelief.
Managers at Odds Over the Big Call
The penalty decision immediately became the talking point of the match, and the two managers had predictably different takes on it. Spurs boss Thomas Frank did not hold back, telling Sky Sports it was "absolutely a big mistake from the VAR." He praised the referee on the pitch but felt the intervention was completely wrong, stating, "that is never a penalty."
On the other side of the dugout, Newcastle’s Eddie Howe saw it differently. He calmly pointed out, "the big thing is the defender isn’t looking at the ball at all, just looking at Dan [Burn]." For him, that lack of attention on the ball was enough to justify the call, concluding it was "probably the right call." It’s one of those moments that fans will debate for weeks.
Gordon Steps Up, St James' Erupts
While the debate raged, Anthony Gordon remained composed. He stepped up to the spot, gave Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario the eyes, and clinically dispatched the penalty into the right-hand side of the net. It was the 86th minute, and Newcastle were back in front, 2-1. For a moment, it seemed like the controversy had sealed Tottenham's fate and handed the three points to the home side.
Romero's Moment of Madness and Magic
As the clock ticked into nine minutes of added time, Spurs were throwing everything they had forward, fueled by a sense of injustice. In the 95th minute, they won a corner. The ball was whipped in, and Newcastle keeper Aaron Ramsdale could only flap a punch clear. The ball dropped perfectly for Cristian Romero, who stood with his back to goal about 12 yards out.
What happened next was pure instinct and audacity. He launched himself into the air for an overhead kick. Now, it wasn't the cleanest connection—it seemed to come off his shin—but it didn't matter. The ball bobbled apologetically through a sea of bodies and trickled into the bottom-left corner of the net. The away end exploded; the rest of St James' Park fell into a stunned silence. It was an incredible, almost laughable, finish that secured a point.
The Final Whistle and Frustrations
When the final whistle finally blew, emotions were running high. Romero was seen in a heated discussion with Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, before cooler heads prevailed. Newcastle players were visibly frustrated, having let the lead slip not once, but twice, with the second coming so painfully late. For Spurs, it felt like a victory, a point earned through sheer grit that snapped a losing run.
The final xG numbers told a story of their own: Newcastle 1.96 to Spurs' 0.79. It suggests that on the balance of chances created, Newcastle should have won. But football isn't played on a spreadsheet. Spurs were clinical when it mattered, and this hard-fought point could be a huge momentum-shifter for the under-pressure Thomas Frank.
Conclusion
In the end, this match was a perfect encapsulation of the Premier League's beautiful chaos. It was a tale of a late offensive explosion, a divisive VAR decision, and a captain who refused to be beaten. Eddie Howe and Newcastle will feel sickened to have dropped two points at the death, while Tottenham will leave Tyneside with a renewed sense of belief, all thanks to their Argentine defender who decided to play like a world-class striker for an evening.
