Sean Longstaff booked Newcastle United’s place in the third round of the Carabao Cup as he converted the winning penalty on the night Sandro Tonali celebrated his return from a 10-month gambling ban.
For many fans, this was simply a good old cup tie with plenty of fringe players of two attacking teams giving a good account of themselves as Jota Silva’s goal on his first Nottingham Forest start levelled out Joe Willock’s opener to send this tie into the penalty shootout.
For Tonali and the Newcastle supporters, however, this was a red-letter day – the game when the playmaker signed from Milan for £55m 13months ago was finally free to play top-flight football once again.
The 24-year-old, who last played for Newcastle in a Champions League home defeat by Borussia Dortmund in October last year, returned from a footballer’s idea of hell to give an excellent reminder of his talents. He was off the field by the time the tie, which Newcastle dominated in the latter stages, was decided, Taiwo Awoniyi blazing Forest’s final spot-kick way, way over the crossbar to clear the way for Longstaff to convert calmly. Forest had gone ahead early in the shootout thanks to Carlos Miguel saving Joelinton’s tame effort.
Cries of “Sandro Tonali” belted out from the Bridgford Stand as the Newcastle players went to greet the travelling supporters during their warm-up. The Italian, returning from a 10-month ban for gambling offences, soon showed his gratitude as Eddie Howe’s team took the lead after 18 seconds. While Forest made 10 changes from the side that won 1-0 at Southampton, Newcastle named a more experienced team based around Tonali’s return to competitive action. Their greater cohesion showed immediately, the Italian neatly turning the ball forwards for Miguel Almirón to play a superb ball to release Alexander Isak down the inside-left channel.
Although Miguel, with his first touch as a Forest player, managed to save the Swede’s powerful low shot, he only diverted it into the path of Joe Willock, who turned in the rebound for his first goal in six months.
Tonali, evidently enjoying being back on the pitch in front of supporters, almost made it a dream-like return in the third minute after he was sent in down the right, only for Miguel to save.
Forest, with only Elliot Anderson, up against his former club, retaining his starting place, had their moments in the first half. Dan Burn cleared from the line, comfortably enough, after Nick Pope was beaten to Ramón Sosa’s cross by Jota Silva’s header.
In the main, however, it was Newcastle who looked the likelier to score the next goal, Almirón having one effort saved and Joelinton shooting over, even though Willock had to be withdrawn in the 15th minute when getting injured in a challenge with Eric da Silva Moreira. Sending Bruno Guimarães on as the substitute showed Newcastle’s intent.
Forest’s best chance of the first half came when Sosa’s exquisite swerving free-kick from wide on the right eluded everyone before Taiwo Awoniyi came hurtling in at the back post to head wide.
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The momentum remained with Forest after the interval. When Joelinton and Dan Burn, sandwiching Willy Boly, failed to deal with Alex Moreno’s long throw-in from the left, the ball fell kindly for Jota to lash in a shot off the underside of the crossbar.
With the crowd buoyant, Anderson took two of his former team-mates out of the picture by turning back on to his right foot on the edge of the penalty area, from where he dinked in a sumptuous shot just wide of the far post, with Pope helpless.
Newcastle, beaten finalists in this competition two seasons ago, felt the game slipping away from them; Howe responded by bringing on Anthony Gordon, Tino Livramento and, prompting a standing ovation from the Newcastle fans at the far end, Longstaff for Tonali.