NEWCASTLE, England: Sandro Tonali scored a sensational winner and Alexander Isak took his season’s Premier League goal tally to 20 as Newcastle United beat Brentford 2-1 on Wednesday to boost their bid for a Champions League place.
Tonali struck in the 74th with a goal destined for endless replays, the shot fired in from a tight angle near the right-hand touchline and leaving Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken no chance.
“Honestly, it was 70 percent cross and 30 percent shot,” said the Italian midfielder. “It was difficult for the goalkeeper and difficult also for me. Also a little bit of luck.”
Isak reached his milestone for the second season in a row by prodding home Jacob Murphy’s cross from close range in first-half stoppage time at St. James’ Park after reported Newcastle transfer target Bryan Mbeumo slipped up.
Swedish striker Isak had earlier squandered a golden opportunity by crossing to Harvey Barnes, whose header was ruled offside, instead of shooting directly in a rare moment of indecision.
Mbeumo equalized from the penalty spot in the 66th minute by calmly sending Nick Pope the wrong way for his 15th goal of the campaign after the goalkeeper had brought down Yoane Wissa.
Brentford pressed to the end after Tonali’s goal and came close in stoppage time, with a late penalty claim and VAR check after Mikkel Damsgaard went down with eight extra minutes already on the clock, in a nervy finish for the home crowd.
Damsgaard had also miscued and fired over the bar five minutes earlier.
Newcastle, playing for the first time since they ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy with a landmark League Cup triumph at Wembley, are now fifth on 50 points — one behind champions Manchester City and with a game in hand.
Brentford are 11th on 41.
“This win is nice for the Champions League for us, we have a good week and it is perfect for this week,” said Tonali, speaking to Premier League Productions.
“Now we play only for the first five teams, for the Champions League.”
Mbeumo, who has scored all 10 of his 10 penalties, said Brentford had deserved more with Ethan Pinnock also hitting the post with a header in the second half.
“It was a good performance but at the end it was not enough. I think we knew it was going to be a tough game against a very good side and at the end it was a bit frustrating. It is hard to take,” said the Cameroon international.
Newcastle beat Brentford 2-1 with Tonali stunner and Isak’s 20th
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Newcastle beat Brentford 2-1 with Tonali stunner and Isak’s 20th
FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign welcomes Palestinian student
- Ghada Ashour, 24, who grew up in Gaza, becomes fifth scholar selected for FIA’s flagship scholarship initiative
DUBAI: The FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign has welcomed Ghada Ashour, a 24-year-old student from Palestine, to its flagship scholarship program, created to empower the next generation of researchers in the fight against online abuse in sport.
Ashour grew up in Gaza where she had been studying remotely until gaining a place on the UAOA scholarship, which brought her to Dublin City University, Ireland.
Becoming the fifth scholar to join the program, she was selected based on her interests in social media, and passion for advancing insights in this area for the benefit of sportspeople.
Launched in 2023, the program offers talented students and young professionals from diverse backgrounds the chance to engage in research on the impact, prevalence, and prevention of online abuse in sport.
Funded by the FIA Foundation, the UAOA scholars have been selected to undertake research dedicated to positive social change.
Ashour’s thesis, which will be printed in English and Arabic, will focus specifically on the relationship between athlete activism and online abuse.
Athletes increasingly speak out on war, conflict, and social and environmental issues. Although the attention such athletes bring can be positive, research indicates it can lead to significant abuse.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, founder of the UAOA campaign, said: “The FIA is committed to extending opportunities across the world while inspiring and developing the next generation.
“Education lies at the core of this mission, and I am pleased to welcome Ghada as the latest student in the UAOA Scholarship Programme.
“Her experience and research will help broaden the international perspective on this critical issue. This pioneering research program will help ensure we safeguard the future of sport for generations to come.”
Ashour said she was “truly grateful” to the FIA leader: “It is a dream come true to study the subject I am passionate about at a leading institution in this field.
“I am so excited to advance the field of research in online abuse in sport and to contribute to this prevalent topic which is impacting so many people’s lives on a daily basis.”
The UAOA’s 2025 Barometer Report found that 75 percent of sports federations report continued threats against competitors and their families, and that 90 percent believe abuse could force athletes to leave their sport.
Dublin City University is a leading academic institution in the study of online abuse.
Each scholar is fully funded and mentored by leading experts in the field. They are able to attend UAOA events, where they can share their findings with a global audience of policymakers, sports federations, and digital platforms.
The inaugural cohort of four UAOA scholars included participants from Italy, South Africa, the UK, and Mexico.
