Charman double sees Newcastle United Under-23s progress in Premier League Cup

Two second-half strikes from substitute Luke Charman ensured Newcastle United Under-23s beat Southampton to progress out of their Premier League Cup group.
Rafa Benitez will be glad to see the youngsters progress.Rafa Benitez will be glad to see the youngsters progress.
Rafa Benitez will be glad to see the youngsters progress.

The youngster netted a wonderful individual strike in the 85th minute of the encounter, following on from his 65th minute opener, with his first touch of the game.

On the selection front, Peter Beardsley named first-team goalkeeper Matz Sels in goal, with Rob Elliot on bench duty for the senior side down at Brighton, while Massadio Haidara also got a start on the left hand side of midfield.

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Haris Vuckic continued up top, with the likes of Dan Barlaser, Curtis Good, Yasin El-Mhanni and Stuart Findlay also named in the starting XI.

After a quiet opening, in which neither side troubled either goal, apart from Dan Ward’s chalked off effort for offside, the game burst into life with the arrival of Charman, who replaced El-Mhanni.

First the frontman found himself a yard of space on right-hand edge of the area, had a look and hammered low past the helpless Harry Lewis in the Saints goal.

Dominant United then carved out numerous chances to bury the opposition but Haidara, playing a much more advanced role, as well as the impressive Vuckic squandered them.

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Then 19-year-old Charman popped up with his second with just six minutes left on the clock, producing a piece of individual magic.

Picking the ball up on half-way the teenager beat a man and attacked the Saints area on the break. Faced with Lewis, Charman took one look and rolled the ball into the far corner as United progress to the last 16 as Group A winners, ahead of Rahdi Jaidi’s Saints, Swansea City and Bristol City.

NUFC XI: Matz Sels, Callum Williams, Curtis Good, Stuart Findlay, Liam Gibson (Michael Newberry 88), Jack Hunter, Dan Barlaser, Yasin El-Mhanni (Jamie Holmes 64), Dan Ward (Luke Charman 64), Massadio Haidara, Haris Vuckic.

Subs not used: Nathan Harker, Victor Fernandez.