Barcelona emerges triumphant as Rashford seals the deal against Newcastle: English striker brings an end to Reds' torment
Barcelona and Sporting Dominate in UEFA Champions League Openers
The UEFA Champions League debut of Kairat Almaty ended in a disappointing 4-1 defeat against Sporting, while Barcelona secured a 2-1 victory over Newcastle United in their opening match of the 2025-26 season.
Kairat Almaty's journey to Lisbon took nine hours, but they struggled to match the superior play of their opponents. The first half was tense, with no goals scored, and Newcastle had the best chance through Harvey Barnes. However, Barcelona's dominance paid off just before halftime when Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, headed powerfully after a cross from Kounde to put Barcelona ahead (44').
The second half saw a dramatic turn of events. An Englishman in the Barcelona jersey, Rashford, ended the scoring drought, scoring the first goal for Barcelona (58'). This goal marked the turning point of the match, as Sporting responded with a flurry of goals. Alisson Santos scored for Sporting in the 67' minute, followed by two goals in quick succession from Quenda (68') and Trincao (65'). Edmilson Santos scored a consolation goal for Kairat Almaty in the 86' minute with a spectacular finish.
The second goal by Rashford was another highlight of the match, a spectacular effort into the far corner. Nine minutes later, he scored another goal, this time into the far corner, extending Barcelona's lead over Newcastle (67'). The victory was a surprising turnaround for Barcelona, who had struggled to create genuine scoring chances in the first half.
Sporting, on the other hand, won the match convincingly, with three goals in three minutes. The win was a strong start to their UEFA Champions League campaign, while Kairat Almaty will be looking to regroup and improve in their future matches.
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