Joe Willock’s first goal in almost a year handed Newcastle a creditable Champions League draw at holders Paris St Germain as they clinched a seeded play-off place.
Willock’s header in first-half stoppage time – he last scored in an FA Cup tie at Birmingham on February 8, 2025 – cancelled out Vitinha’s early strike and ensured it finished 1-1 at the Parc des Princes, just as it had done two years ago.
The draw was all the more creditable after Eddie Howe’s men were hit by an early blitz during which goalkeeper Nick Pope saved an Ousmane Dembele penalty and Vitinha scored, but ultimately both sides slipped out of the top eight on a night when only victory was likely to be good enough.
Dan Burn, back after fracturing a rib and suffering a punctured lung in the Wear-Tyne derby on December 14, was the most eye-catching of Howe’s five changes – skipper Bruno Guimaraes was named only among the substitutes – against an eye-wateringly strong PSG side.
The Magpies were denied victory in Paris two seasons ago by a controversial late penalty, but this time the main talking point came inside the first 60 seconds.
Nuno Mendes played Bradley Barcola in behind Lewis Miley and Malick Thiaw’s clearance appeared to come off Barcola’s arm and then hit Miley’s, prompting VAR official Christian Dingert to send referee Slavko Vincic to the pitchside monitor.
Mr Vincic belatedly pointed to the spot, but Pope dived to his left to brilliantly keep out Dembele’s spot-kick.
The respite proved only temporary, however, and the visitors fell behind with just eight minutes gone when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia picked out Vitinha and he was allowed time and space on the edge of the box to step inside Lewis Hall and fire unerringly into the bottom corner.
Pope saved from Dembele and Kvaratskhelia as the onslaught continued unabated, although Kvaratskhelia’s evening ended prematurely after a 20th-minute clash with Anthony Elanga left him writhing in pain.
The hosts continued to dominate possession, but Newcastle were making a better fist of keeping them at bay, if only just.
Mendes thumped a long-range effort into Pope’s midriff and Willian Pacho skied another high over, but after Nick Woltemade had failed to connect with Burn’s flick-on from a Hall long throw, the Magpies got themselves back into the game on the stroke of half-time.
Marquinhos could only help Sandro Tonali’s free-kick towards his own goal and when Burn flicked it inside, Willock headed firmly past keeper Matvei Safonov.
Howe’s men returned emboldened and Jacob Ramsey called upon Safonov at his near post after Woltemade had forced Pacho into a 51st-minute error before Willock saw a second goal ruled out for offside after running onto Hall’s quickly-taken free-kick.
Barcola sliced high and wide, Vitinha warmed Pope’s hands from distance and Dembele sent a curling attempt just off target as the reigning champions attempted to regain the upper hand, and Dembele stabbed wide from Mendes’ 67th-minute cross with the pressure mounting once again.
However, it took a last-ditch block by Marquinhos to deny Ramsey after substitutes Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes had combined to play him in with 16 minutes remaining, and Barnes forced Safonov to save and then shot into the side-netting as he and Gordon ran riot at the death.
