Newcastle United on Sunday defeated Liverpool 2-1, securing their first major domestic trophy since 1955.
The Magpies in a historic Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium defeated the Reds to clinch the first silverware of the 2024/25 football season, PUNCH Online reports.
The EFL match began with both teams displaying cautious play.
Newcastle broke the deadlock just before halftime when defender Dan Burn headed in a goal from a corner in first-half stoppage time.
In the second half, Newcastle continued their dominance.
Alexander Isak doubled their lead in the 52nd minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Liverpool.
Liverpool struggled to respond effectively, with manager Arne Slot making several substitutions, including introducing Curtis Jones and Darwin Núñez, but they failed to penetrate Newcastle’s resolute defense.
However, Federico Chiesa pulled one back in th injury time (90+4) with all hopes high but to no avail to the Premier League table toppers.
The final whistle confirmed Newcastle’s 2-1 victory, ending their 70-year wait for a major trophy, The Guardian reports.
The win is also Eddie How’s first cup win as a manager.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe praised his team’s performance, saying, “This is a dream come true for the club and the fans. The players showed incredible heart and determination to achieve this historic win.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, visibly disappointed, admitted, “We weren’t good enough in the critical moments. Newcastle deserved the win; they were the better team on the day.”
Dan Burn, who opened the scoring for Newcastle, expressed his emotions post-match, saying, “To score in a final and help the club end this long wait is beyond words.
“This is for the fans who have stood by us all these years.”
On the other hand, Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, despite the disappointment, demonstrated great sportsmanship, congratulating Newcastle players and acknowledging their impressive performance.
Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville, known for his emotional commentary, was visibly moved during the match, stating, “I’m almost crying seeing what this means to Newcastle fans. This is what football is all about—moments like these.”
Former Newcastle striker and club legend Alan Shearer joined in the celebrations at Wembley, expressing his joy.
“This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. It’s been a long journey, but this victory shows the strength and passion of this club,” he said during a post-match interview.
Fans around the world echoed similar sentiments, flooding social media with tributes to the players and the manager, celebrating the end of a 70-year wait for a domestic silverware.
“Only Newcastle fans well into their 60s will have experienced this feeling before, ruling out most of those at Wembley today, among them Alan Shearer, the club’s all-time leading goalscorer not yet born the last time their club won a trophy: the 1969 Fairs Cup.
“That’s over half a century without silverware. Indeed, they hadn’t won major domestic silverware since the FA Cup in 1955 and had never won the EFL Cup,” a post match statement celebrating the Magpies explained on the EPL website.
