Newcastle United’s long wait for a major domestic trophy finally came to an end as they edged past holders Liverpool with a thrilling 2-1 victory in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.
Determined to break their decades-long curse, the Magpies came out firing, pressing Liverpool relentlessly from the first whistle. Eddie Howe’s men dominated the early exchanges, and their persistence paid off just before halftime when Dan Burn, a lifelong Newcastle fan, rose above the Liverpool defense to head home the opener in the 45th minute.
Newcastle’s dream continued early in the second half, as Alexander Isak produced a moment of brilliance to double their lead, leaving Liverpool’s defense in disarray. The Swedish forward’s strike ultimately proved decisive, securing Newcastle’s first major domestic title since their 1955 FA Cup triumph.
Liverpool, struggling to find their rhythm after their midweek Champions League disappointment against PSG, managed to pull one back through new signing Federico Chiesa. However, their late resurgence was not enough to deny Newcastle their long-awaited glory.
This victory was particularly significant for Newcastle, who had suffered five consecutive final defeats, including last year’s 2-0 loss to Manchester United in the same competition. Manager Eddie Howe acknowledged the magnitude of the moment, stating,
We were well aware of the history and wanted to do the club proud. We wanted to score, we wanted to perform, and most importantly, we wanted to win.
As the celebrations unfolded, Alexander Isak hinted at a bright future for the club, saying,
This is just the beginning. We will truly see what this means to the fans when we get back to Newcastle. Everyone knows how long they’ve waited for this moment.
Buoyed by their triumph, Newcastle will now shift their focus to their next challenge – a crucial home fixture against Brentford after the international break, as they push to secure a Champions League spot.
