Newcastle edge Saints in EFL Cup semi-final first leg

Newcastle United hold a slender advantage from the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg as Joelinton's goal gave them victory at Southampton.

The Brazilian made amends for missing an earlier easy opportunity when he arrived on the end of substitute Alexander Isak's perfect low cross to make the decisive contribution with 17 minutes left.

Newcastle will now be favourites to reach their first major Wembley final since the FA Cup in 1999 as they attempt to end a trophy drought stretching back to the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup win.

And if Newcastle do complete the job in the second leg on Tyneside they will owe a debt of gratitude to Nick Pope, who made two vital second-half saves from Southampton substitute Che Adams with the score still goalless, extending his remarkable personal record to 10 successive clean sheets.

Southampton, who had what they thought was an equaliser from Adam Armstrong disallowed for handball by VAR, saw their night of frustration complete when defender Duje Caleta-Car was sent off in the closing minutes for a second yellow card.

Joelinton was a central figure, seeing a first-half goal contentiously ruled out for handball then blazing over an open goal when it seemed easier to score, before hitting the target to make Eddie Howe's side firm favourites to reach Wembley.

The two sides meet at St James' Park in the second leg on Tuesday, 31 January.

Newcastle's march continues

Newcastle United's dream season under Howe now carries the real prospect of a Wembley appearance to go alongside their challenge for a place in the Premier League's top four and next season's Champions League.

They needed the outstanding interventions of keeper Pope to keep Southampton at bay when they threatened after the break but Newcastle always carried a threat, even if much of their finishing was wayward, and eventually sharp work by substitute Isak delivered a chance Joelinton could not miss.

Newcastle's defence is so mean-spirited this season that one goal is invariably enough and so it proved as, for all Southampton's effort, they simply could not break through, leaving the Toon Army packed into a corner of St Mary's celebrating at the final whistle.

Howe will know Newcastle were not at their best and showed nerves at times, but there will be satisfaction at getting this part of the job done against a Southampton side that disposed of favourites Manchester City here in the quarter-final.

It leaves Howe's side in a favourable position for the second leg in front an expected capacity crowd at St James' Park, with a Wembley final against either Manchester United or Nottingham Forest as the prize on offer.

Southampton frustrated

The hosts were left cursing both Newcastle's outstanding keeper Pope and VAR as they face an uphill task to overturn this slender deficit in their bid to reach Wembley.

Saints' manager Nathan Jones was locked in deep discussion with referee Stuart Attwell as they left the field, discussing the VAR decision that ruled it was a handball by Adam Armstrong as he bundled home what he thought was the leveller just after Joelinton's goal.

Jones, however, will also know the key chance fell to Adams when he raced clear with the game in the balance only to be thwarted by the outstretched leg of Pope, who produced another fine save from the striker's close-range shot on the turn moments later.

Southampton battled throughout but Newcastle's defence is so tight that you simply have to take chances when they present themselves. They could not do it and will now travel to Tyneside as underdogs in the battle for a place in the final.

Player of the match

PopeNick Pope

Southampton

Squad number8Player nameWard-Prowse

Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters

Squad number31Player nameBazunu

Squad number9Player nameA Armstrong

Squad number22Player nameSalisu

Squad number26Player nameAlcaraz

Squad number18Player nameMara

Squad number27Player nameDiallo

Squad number10Player nameAdams

Squad number23Player nameEdozie

Squad number4Player nameLyanco

Squad number11Player nameOrsic

Squad number19Player nameDjenepo

Squad number45Player nameLavia

Squad number6Player nameCaleta-Car

Squad number35Player nameBednarek

Newcastle United

Squad number22Player namePope

Squad number14Player nameIsak

Squad number7Player nameJoelinton

Squad number2Player nameTrippier

Squad number39Player nameBruno Guimarães

Squad number10Player nameSaint-Maximin

Squad number4Player nameBotman

Squad number5Player nameSchär

Squad number24Player nameAlmirón

Squad number33Player nameBurn

Squad number23Player nameMurphy

Squad number36Player nameS Longstaff

Squad number28Player nameWillock

Squad number9Player nameWilson

Line-ups

Southampton

Formation 4-2-3-1

31Bazunu

2Walker-Peters4Lyanco6Caleta-Car22Salisu

26Alcaraz27Diallo

19Djenepo8Ward-Prowse11Orsic

18Mara

Substitutes

Newcastle

Formation 4-3-3

22Pope

2Trippier5Schär4Botman33Burn

36S Longstaff39Bruno Guimarães28Willock

24Almirón9Wilson7Joelinton

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Southampton 0, Newcastle United 1.

Second Half ends, Southampton 0, Newcastle United 1.

Mohammed Salisu (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Mohammed Salisu (Southampton).

Attempt missed. Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right misses to the right. Assisted by Bruno Guimarães.

Attempt blocked. Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked. Assisted by Nick Pope.

Attempt missed. Jacob Murphy (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Bruno Guimarães.

Sven Botman (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Che Adams (Southampton).

Attempt missed. Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.

Substitution, Southampton. Jan Bednarek replaces Kyle Walker-Peters.

Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card.

Second yellow card to Duje Caleta-Car (Southampton) for a bad foul.

Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Duje Caleta-Car (Southampton).

Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card.

Lyanco (Southampton) is shown the yellow card.

Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Lyanco (Southampton).

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