Newcastle United welcomed Southampton in the first round of the English top flight. The match was held at St. James' Park, and the hosts were determined to bring the new season to their fans with a win.
The first half of the match started with a fierce battle between the two sides, and the scene was extremely hot. In the 15th minute, Southampton almost broke the deadlock with a quick counter-attack, but Stephens' goal was disallowed for offside, prompting a chorus of boos from the home fans. However, the penalty didn't seem to affect the intensity of the game. Shortly afterwards, Newcastle United's Scherer lost his cool in a confrontation with a Southampton player, and the two sides went head to head, the referee decided to show a red card and sent Scherer off, which forced Newcastle United to play the rest of the game with ten men.
Newcastle United did not get discouraged in the face of the unfavorable situation. Instead, they were more united and used the home field advantage to put pressure on the opponents. In the 35th minute, Joe Linton received a delicate pass from his teammates at the front of the penalty area, and after a slight adjustment, he fired a powerful shot, which flew into the corner of the goal like a cannonball, giving Newcastle United the lead. The goal not only sent the home fans into a frenzy, but also greatly boosted the team's morale.
In the second leg, Southampton tried to equalize the score by strengthening their attack, but Newcastle United's defense system was solid, and goalkeeper Pope also performed well, defusing the opponent's threatening attack many times. In the 60th minute, Pope made a brilliant save on Armstrong's near post shot, but Pope reacted quickly and pounced the ball out of the goal line to keep the goal intact.
As the game progressed, Newcastle United gradually took the initiative on the field, while Southampton looked a bit impatient due to the long time attacking. In the end, after 90 minutes of fierce battle, Newcastle United won 1-0 against Southampton and achieved the opening of the season.
