EFL Cup

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EFL Cup | Quarter-Finals

Jan 10, 2023 at 8pm UK

St. James' Park

Newcastle
2 - 0
Leicester

Burn (60'), Joelinton (72')
Longstaff (37'), Burn (38'), Botman (81')

FT(HT: 0-0)

Perez (62'), Ndidi (67')

Newcastle United sweep past Leicester City to book EFL Cup semi-final place

By Ben Sully | 10 January 2023

Newcastle sweep past Leicester to book EFL Cup semi-final place

Goals from Dan Burn and Joelinton guide Newcastle United to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Leicester City, which secures their passage to the EFL Cup semi-finals.

Newcastle United beat Leicester City 2-0 to reach the EFL Cup semi-final for just the second time in their history.

The Magpies would have been frustrated with the goalless scoreline at half time after they failed to make the most of their overwhelming dominance in the first period.

Those misses failed to deter the Magpies, who opened the scoring through Dan Burn on the hour mark, before Joelinton wrapped up the win to end Newcastle's 47-year wait for a League Cup semi-final.

After being dumped out of the FA Cup by League One outfit Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle started on the front foot with a couple of early chances, as they looked to replicate the comfortable 3-0 win that they recorded over Leicester on Boxing Day, where they scored two goals in the opening seven minutes.

Sean Longstaff spurned a promising opportunity, guiding the ball over the crossbar following a slick attacking move, while Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson were both unable to hit the target.

The Magpies continued to surge forward, and their positive attacking play yielded another chance in the 15th minute, with Guimaraes driving a low strike agonisingly wide of Danny Ward's goal.

Newcastle United's Joelinton in action with Leicester City's Marc Albrighton on January 10, 2023 © Reuters

The Leicester goalkeeper may not have been tested by Guimaraes, but just four minutes later, he had to react well to push Longstaff's strike away from danger.

Ward was once again called into action to ensure that the score remained goalless at half time, pulling off a fine stop to deny Guimaraes.

The 15-minute interval did little to disrupt the Newcastle onslaught, which resumed with Joelinton thundering a powerful strike against the post.

Eddie Howe would have been ruing a combination of poor finishing and fine goalkeeping, as two further chances came and went without finding the net.

Burn could only head over from Kieran Trippier's pinpoint delivery, before Ward was once again required to thwart Longstaff.

On the hour mark, Newcastle's relentless pressure finally told, when Burn marauded into the box to place a precise strike beyond Ward to register his first goal for his boyhood club.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe during the match on January 10, 2023 © Reuters

After conceding for the first time in the competition this season, Leicester's resolve was broken, and their hopes of reaching the last four were ended in the 72nd minute.

Miguel Almiron's perfectly-weighted through ball found Joelinton, who calmly slotted his shot into the bottom corner.

Jamie Vardy was presented with a golden opportunity to ignite an unlikely fightback, but with only the goalkeeper to beat, the experienced forward dragged his tame effort woefully wide of Nick Pope's goal.

Newcastle saw out the remainder contest without much fuss, and with a place in the last four secured, they will now begin to dream of winning the League Cup for the first time in their history.

With the Magpies yet to lose at St James' Park in any competition this season, they will attempt to maintain their unbeaten home record when they face Fulham in Sunday's Premier League meeting, while Leicester will make the relatively short trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.