Dominik Szoboszlai's Late Penalty Saves Liverpool Against Newcastle
Dominik Szoboszlai buried a penalty deep into stoppage time to rip two points from Newcastle’s grasp and preserve Liverpool’s unbeaten run at St James’ Park, on a day built to honour Kevin Keegan and ended in pure Keegan-style chaos.
The Hungary midfielder held his nerve in the ninth minute of added time, slamming home from 12 yards after Lewis Hall was penalised for a challenge on substitute Víctor Muñoz. The decision left Newcastle players stunned, Hall crestfallen, and 52,630 home fans furious. Liverpool walked away with a 2-2 draw and a 10th straight league game unbeaten on Tyneside.
Newcastle thought they had already written the perfect script. Joe Willock had come off the bench and scored with virtually his first involvement in the 57th minute, restoring the lead just moments after Cody Gakpo’s equaliser had wiped out Anthony Elanga’s opener. The stadium roared. The new era under Matthias Jaissle suddenly looked like it might begin with a statement win.
Instead, it ended in a gut punch.
Keegan tributes, Keegan tempo
Before a ball was kicked, both clubs paused for Kevin Keegan. Players from Newcastle and Liverpool warmed up in Keegan number seven shirts, the crowd wrapped in nostalgia for a man who lit up both Tyneside and Merseyside. The emotion was thick; the football that followed matched the occasion.
As soon as the whistle went, the mood turned. Alexander Isak, back at St James’ Park in opposition colours, found himself the lightning rod. Every touch drew jeers from the home crowd who once adored him. The hostility seemed to energise Newcastle’s new-look front line.
It took just five minutes for the place to erupt. Impressive debutant Amar Dedic slid a clever pass into Will Osula, who waited, picked his moment, and threaded the ball perfectly into Elanga’s path. The Sweden international burned away from Milos Kerkez, opened up his body and rolled a right-foot finish across Alisson Becker and into the far corner. Simple. Clinical. Loud.
Liverpool tried to answer quickly. They had most of the ball but looked strangely blunt. Lukás Hornícek had to react sharply to tip over a deflected effort from Florian Wirtz in the 18th minute, yet Newcastle were the ones carving out the cleaner moments whenever they broke.
Lewis Miley sprayed a superb 22nd-minute diagonal to Dedic, whose strike flicked off Kerkez and behind for a corner. Jérémy Jacquet tracked back just in time to stop Osula reaching a through-ball from Yoane Wissa, who was tormenting Liverpool between the lines and producing his best display yet in a Newcastle shirt.
For all their possession, Liverpool’s threat barely stretched beyond set-pieces. Szoboszlai hammered a 26th-minute free-kick straight into the wall after being pulled back by Wissa. Newcastle’s narrow 1-0 lead at the break felt fully earned.
Gakpo hits back, Willock answers
Liverpool emerged from the interval with more intent. Szoboszlai’s early corner caused a scramble, but when Newcastle broke through Harvey Barnes and Elanga, they wasted the chance to punish the visitors. Moments later, Miley snatched at a 48th-minute effort that never troubled Alisson.
The warning signs were there. The equaliser wasn’t long in coming.
In the 53rd minute, Gakpo curled a strike just over with Hornícek rooted. Two minutes later, the Dutchman got his range perfect. Allowed time and space 25 yards out, he drove a skidding shot that flew beyond Hornícek and into the net. 1-1, and suddenly the away end found its voice.
St James’ Park didn’t stay quiet for long.
Barely had the celebrations died down when Wissa danced through Liverpool’s defensive line with sharp, nimble footwork. He slipped the ball into substitute Willock, who stepped inside and arrowed a precise low shot across Alisson and into the far corner. The clock showed 57 minutes. The noise was deafening. Jaissle punched the air.
From there, Newcastle looked the likelier side to score again. Jacob Ramsey, another introduction from the bench, dragged a 70th-minute volley wide when well placed. Wissa, outstanding all afternoon, burst clear one-on-one but saw Alisson stand tall and block his finish. Those misses would linger.
Jaissle, only weeks into the job and still working with a squad that may yet change before the window closes, will have taken heart from the aggression, energy and structure on show. Across the technical area, Andoni Iraola could only feel relief that his Liverpool side were still in it.
Late drama and lingering questions
The game seemed to be drifting towards a home win as the clock ticked into added time. Newcastle dropped deeper, defended in numbers, and tried to manage the chaos. Liverpool kept probing, but without real incision.
Then came the twist.
Deep into stoppage time, the ball was worked into the Newcastle box. Hall challenged Muñoz, the substitute went down, and referee Stuart Attwell pointed straight to the spot. Hall stood frozen, arms out in disbelief. The crowd erupted in anger. There was no reprieve.
Szoboszlai stepped up, placed the ball, and drilled his penalty home with ruthless composure. Hornícek guessed, but he never got close. Liverpool had salvaged a point at the death.
For Newcastle, it felt like a win thrown away. For Liverpool, it was a rescue act that exposed as many issues as it solved. On a day built to remember Keegan’s wild, attacking football, both sides honoured the spirit of the occasion.
The question now is whether either of them can turn this kind of drama into something more durable over the course of the season.
