Szoboszlai’s 99th-Minute Penalty Rescues Liverpool in their Opening Game 

Dominik Szoboszlai scored a 99th-minute penalty as Liverpool secured a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United at St James’ Park, giving Andoni Iraola a point in his first Premier League match.

Newcastle took the lead twice through Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock, but Liverpool responded on both occasions, first through Cody Gakpo before Szoboszlai’s last minute penalty denied Matthias Jaissle victory on his debut for Newcastle.

The match showed an eventful start for both new head coaches, with Newcastle producing the stronger opening before Liverpool gradually found their way back into the game.

Elanga Gives Newcastle a Fast Start

St James’ Park paid tribute before kick-off to former Newcastle and Liverpool great Kevin Keegan, but once the match began, the hosts quickly turned their attention to securing three points.

Newcastle needed only five minutes to break through. Will Osula collected possession near the edge of his own penalty area before releasing Anthony Elanga into space beyond Liverpool’s midfield.

Elanga raced forward and finished the move to score his first Premier League goal for Newcastle, giving Jaissle’s side the ideal start.

The goal also exposed a problem Liverpool would struggle to completely resolve during the match. Iraola’s midfield committed players forward during the build-up, leaving Newcastle with opportunities to attack an exposed defensive line following turnovers.

Iraola acknowledged the issue afterwards, explaining that Liverpool had sometimes tried to overplay during the opening phase of their attacks rather than bringing moves to a conclusion.

Difficult Return for Isak at St James’ Park

Alexander Isak endured a challenging return to his former home after arriving with the benefit of an uninterrupted pre-season.

The striker was greeted by boos whenever he received possession and struggled to have the decisive influence Liverpool would have hoped for against his former club.

Instead, Cody Gakpo emerged as Liverpool’s most significant attacking threat.

The Netherlands international helped drive the visitors forward after half-time as Liverpool increased the tempo and began placing Newcastle under greater pressure.

Ten minutes into the second half, that improvement produced the equaliser. Gakpo found enough space to send a precise low effort beyond Newcastle goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, bringing Liverpool level at 1-1.

Willock Restores Newcastle’s Advantage

Liverpool’s celebrations lasted only three minutes.

Newcastle again exploited space through the centre as Yoane Wissa carried the ball beyond several Liverpool players before finding Joe Willock. The midfielder completed the move to restore Newcastle’s advantage and leave the visitors chasing the match for a second time.

The rapid response highlighted Newcastle’s effectiveness in transition and Liverpool’s vulnerability when possession was lost with players committed further up the pitch.

For Jaissle, the performance offered encouraging evidence of the pace and directness available within his Newcastle attack, particularly when Liverpool’s midfield structure was disrupted.

The visitors continued searching for another equaliser, but Newcastle appeared increasingly close to seeing out the contest as the game entered a lengthy period of stoppage time.

Szoboszlai Delivers With the Final Opportunity

Liverpool’s decisive opportunity finally arrived deep into added time.

Lewis Hall challenged Victor Munoz inside the penalty area in the 96th minute, giving Liverpool the chance to rescue a point from the spot.

Szoboszlai accepted the responsibility and emphatically converted the penalty in the 99th minute, beating Hornicek to make it 2-2 and dramatically change the outcome of the match.

“More than 50,000 fans in the stadium against you, “he said. “You can’t hear your own voice. That’s why I am doing it.” That’s what Szoboszzlai stated after the final whistle of the game according to the premier league.  

It was a stressful evening for Newcastle after leading the game twice, but the performance still provided Jaissle with positives from his first competitive match in charge. His side showed intensity from the beginning of the game and repeatedly punished Liverpool when the visitors lost their defensive balance.

For Iraola, the late equaliser ensured his Liverpool tenure began without defeat, although the performance also demonstrated areas requiring improvement. Liverpool showed resilience and attacking quality to recover twice, but their vulnerability in transition allowed Newcastle to repeatedly threaten their back line.

The result ultimately left both new managers with a point from a highly competitive opening encounter, while Szoboszlai’s composure from the penalty spot ensured Liverpool escaped St James’ Park with something to show for their late pressure.