Manchester United on Sunday clinched their first trophy under the leadership of Erik ten Hag by defeating Newcastle United 2-0 in the EFL Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
Although the Red Devils had a slow start, they eventually gained control of the game before halftime, ensuring that Newcastle’s 68-year wait for a major domestic trophy would continue.
Newcastle began the game brightly and tested United’s goalkeeper David de Gea with a shot from Allan Saint-Maximin early on. However, it was United who opened the scoring when Casemiro headed in a free-kick from Luke Shaw, which was initially scrutinized by VAR but was ultimately deemed legitimate.
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The Brazilian midfielder’s goal was somewhat against the run of play, as United had started slowly.
United then doubled their lead just six minutes later when Marcus Rashford’s shot deflected off Newcastle defender Sven Botman and into the net. Although it was a fortunate goal for United, it cemented their dominance over the Magpies, who were struggling to create any significant scoring opportunities.
Glory, glory, @ManUtd! 🏆#EFL | #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/BAx37Myn1D
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) February 26, 2023
After the break, Newcastle tried to mount a comeback by introducing their club-record signing, Alexander Isak. However, United’s defense remained resolute and kept the Magpies at bay.
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Although Joelinton had a couple of chances to score for Newcastle, his efforts were thwarted by United’s defense, with Lisandro Martinez and Aaron Wan-Bissaka making crucial blocks.
As the game progressed, United had opportunities to extend their lead further. Rashford and Bruno Fernandes both came close to scoring a third goal, but Newcastle’s stand-in goalkeeper Loris Karius made a couple of impressive saves to deny them.
With this win, United can now celebrate their first trophy since 2017 and take confidence in the knowledge that their new coach, Ten Hag, has made a positive impact on the team. Furthermore, United are still competing in the Premier League, Europa League, and FA Cup, which means that there may be more silverware to come this season.
Overall, it was an impressive performance from United, who will look to build on this success in the coming weeks and months.
