Newcastle United have booked their place in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup after a comfortable 1-0 victory over Wimbledon on Tuesday night.
Manager Eddie Howe had made plenty of changes to the team that secured a 1-1 draw against Manchester City last weekend, with only Fabian Schar, Joelinton and Harvey Barnes keeping their first-team spots.
The Magpies were not at their attacking best as they failed to create many scoring opportunities in the first half.
However, they managed to break the deadlock just before the break after being awarded a penalty for Joe Pigott’s foul on Miguel Almiron.
Experienced defender Fabian Schar made no mistake as he converted his spot-kick to put his side 1-0 ahead.
The scoreline remained the same until the final whistle, but Newcastle will be happy with the routine victory that ensured their progress to the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.
Schar, who joined the Tyneside club in a £3 million deal in 2018, was the standout performer for Eddie Howe’s side on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old scored the vital goal and also posted impressive numbers in the game.
He had 91 percent pass accuracy, completing 86 of his 94 total passes. The centre-back also had 107 touches and registered three interceptions, two clearances and a tackle.
Schar successfully completed 17 of his 20 long balls and created three key passes.
The former Switzerland international has been a key player for Newcastle this season, starting five matches across all competitions and scoring two goals.
Stats from Sofascore
