Everyone could see it coming but nobody was able to stop it as it ended Bayer Leverkusen 2 Newcastle 2

Bayer Leverkusen 2 Newcastle 2 – Wednesday 10 December 2025 8pm

Right! Let’s have no talk of Tyneside failure in North Rhine-Westphalia.

We didn’t win but a fighting draw means Newcastle United’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the Champions League remain high. A two-legged play-off now seems the most likely outcome of the Swiss League phase.

I am writing this while still not believing what happened in the BayArena three hours ago.

Unbelievable but strangely predictable. Two points dropped. One gained. The feeling of deflation and disappointment as we trudged away just before 11pm local time was undeniable.

In the first half, despite an extensive warm-up and a long team huddle, we rarely got out of second gear.

Where was the dynamism? Where the intensity? Bayer Leverkusen are not a top, top side but they cut through our midfield and went beyond our defence too often for comfort.

Their forward passes found teammates most of the time, ours did not. Gordon, on the left, waited until the 30th minute to test his marker for pace on the outside and immediately won a corner. He repeated the trick two minutes later and sent over a promising cross.

By then, of course, we were trailing. Sitting with my new Dutch friends, who gave me a ticket near the away section, I had a good view of the opener. The corner kick drifted across the six-yard box to the back post. It was perhaps four yards from the goal-line, where Ramsdale appeared motionless. I saw no evidence he was blocked or balked. Why no attempt to claim the ball?

Our only on-target efforts before the interval were two similar shots by Barnes. He cut in from the right flank and fired tamely with his left foot towards the near post. Flekken gathered both comfortably.

Newcastle’s midfield wasn’t clicking, passes were going astray and Leverkusen rarely looked troubled. They were good value for their lead. Thiaw’s foul just outside our area caused a VAR penalty check that thankfully led to no more than a yellow card and a wasted free kick. Ramsdale was fully extended by a powerful drive as Leverkusen hunted a second goal.

Something changed at half-time, though Kofane for the veteran Schick was the only substitution before the game restarted.

Attacking the away supporters’ end, which spread way beyond its official limits, Newcastle were quicker, more progressive, more determined to press the hosts.

Woltemade, who had spent the first half chasing lost causes, refused to give Flekken as much time as he wanted. A long German leg stretched out to nick the ball and the keeper conceded a penalty with a clumsy challenge. Gordon’s kick was conclusive.

The gift of a goal emphasised an already clear shift in momentum, evidenced by a Hall cross-shot that went narrowly wide of the far post. When Miley replaced the injured Joelinton less than 10 minutes later the visitors were firmly in charge. Our teenage sensation added even more drive.

Gordon, so ineffective before the break, was now the most threatening man on the pitch. The sound of his fierce shot rebounding off the woodwork was louder than a slamming door.

He again beat his man on the outside, near the corner flag, and sent over an excellent left-foot cross. Miley rose higher than anyone else to give us a deserved advantage.

Ramsey, Wissa, Willock and Murphy had spent much of the second half warming up near the touchline where Barnes was stationed. They joined the enthusiastic celebrations for each Newcastle goal and everything in the garden looked rosy.

Twelve points from six matches would give us a great chance of reaching the round of 16 without having to play two extra games in February. Chicken counting is a tricky business.

Almost as soon as Murphy replaced Barnes on 78 minutes, we went agonisingly close to sealing the deal. Murphy cut in from the right flank and thundered a rocket off the post. Then he sent a cross to the back stick that Thiaw powered goalwards, only for Flekken to divert the bouncing ball away for a corner.

Livramento and Hall, who had worked overtime in defence and attack for 80 minutes, were visibly tiring. Fans around me were crying out for a final refresh.

Could Murphy have gone to right-back and Burn to left-back, with Schar and Elanga coming on to give our first-choice full-backs a much-needed rest? Could Wissa have replaced Woltemade?

All the potential substitutes were poised and ready. None of them joined the action until a few minutes after the costly fourth goal.

For the home fans it was a thing of beauty but for Newcastle it was a horror show. Grimaldo, about 30 yards out, wrongfooted our defenders with a smart dummy. He sprinted untracked into the box, took a quick pass from Maza and fired a low shot under Ramsdale’s arm into the net.

I deny this was a case of Newcastle sitting back after taking the lead. Murphy and Thiaw both nearly gave us the coveted two-goal cushion. Only the width of a post and a great save denied them.

When Wissa and Ramsey did eventually replace Woltemade and Gordon, the horse had bolted. Did Wissa touch the ball even once in those stoppage time minutes? Did Ramsey?

The match stats suggest a draw was a fair outcome. We did nowhere near enough in the first half to warrant a point. We did plenty after the break to claim all three.

That late-goal curse struck again, to the surprise of absolutely nobody supporting the Magpies.

Our hopes of automatically reaching the round of 16 briefly soared in the stadium alongside Bismarck Strasse. Just as quickly we got that sinking feeing again.

Two games to play in the Swiss League phase. Three points needed. Keep looking up rather than down.

Bayer Leverkusen 2 Newcastle 2 – Wednesday 10 December 2025 8pm

Match Stats

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Gordon 51 pen, Miley 74

Leverkusen:

Bruno OG 13, Grimaldo 88

Possession was Newcastle 49% Leverkusen 51%

Total shots were Newcastle 13 Leverkusen 17

Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Leverkusen 7

Corners were Newcastle 6 Leverkusen 9

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 32 Leverkusen 28

Newcastle team v Leverkusen:

Ramsdale, Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Joelinton (Miley 60), Bruno, Gordon (Ramsey 92), Barnes (Jacob Murphy 78), Woltemade (Wissa 93)

Unused subs:

Thompson, Harrison, Schar, Alex Murphy, Willock, Elanga