Alejandro Grimaldo left it painfully late at the BayArena, firing home in the 88th minute to rescue a 2-2 UEFA Champions League draw for Bayer Leverkusen against Newcastle United.
What looked set to be a famous away win for the Magpies turned into pure frustration as the Spaniard’s cool finish wiped out their second-half comeback, making it their second 2-2 draw in three games after that frustrating 2-2 Premier League draw with Tottenham
The result also stretched Newcastle’s poor run against German opposition to four games without a win, while keeping Leverkusen’s top-eight hopes alive. The result came as a shock to most fans; even Softfootball predicted a 2-1 Newcastle win in the prematch report analysis.
With just one point separating the sides before kick-off, the opening stages crackled with urgency. Newcastle showed early intent through Harvey Barnes, whose sharp effort inside five minutes forced Mark Flekken into a smart save. But it was Leverkusen who struck first.
In the 13th minute, Robert Andrich climbed highest at a corner, and his header deflected cruelly off Bruno Guimarães, wrong-footing Aaron Ramsdale for the opener. It was the first first-half goal Newcastle had conceded in this season’s competition.
Leverkusen sensed weakness and pushed again when Patrik Schick was pulled back on the edge of the box by Malick Thiaw. Penalty appeals were waved away; the foul was judged just outside. Ramsdale kept Newcastle alive with another strong stop to deny Jarell Quansah before the break.
Whatever Eddie Howe said at half-time worked. Newcastle returned sharper and braver and were rewarded in the 51st minute when Flekken clumsily brought down Nick Woltemade.
Anthony Gordon made no mistake from the spot, drilling in his third straight successful penalty. Gordon wasn’t done either; his fierce shot soon after smashed against the post before he turned provider in the 74th minute, floating in a perfect cross for Lewis Miley to nod Newcastle into a 2-1 lead.
The Magpies had chances to kill it. Jacob Murphy struck the woodwork, Thiaw headed narrowly wide, and Ramsdale even picked up a booking for protesting. And then came the sucker punch.
A neat link-up between Aleix García and Ibrahim Maza opened a pocket of space, and Grimaldo slid in to break Newcastle hearts. After the Leverkusen game, they joked that the Spaniard was also capable of scoring a non-free-kick goal in a post made via their Official X account
In the end, it felt like two points dropped for the visitors, while Leverkusen will say they never stopped believing, not even for a second.
