Newcastle United key star shows now primed for season run-in after international double take

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A successful night for Emil Krafth and Alexander Isak, as the Newcastle United duo both started in a friendly win over Albania.

Nilsson scoring the winner in the 62nd minute.

Good to see Krafth fully fit and getting minutes on the pitch, after that serious injury last season. The defender recently having extended his NUFC contract to the end of June 2025.

Whilst Emil Krafth was subbed off on 86 minutes, Alexander Isak played his second full match of this international break. Great news on the fitness front ahead of the final 10 Newcastle United matches, having their star striker (best player?) now back to 100 per cent.

New Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, the former Newcastle United striker, once again played Alexander Isak in a more withdrawn role towards the left hand side, the position Isak has taken up at times when he and Callum Wilson are on the pitch together for NUFC.

Thoughts of course turning to Saturday and next Tuesday, Newcastle United with two home games in quick succession, matches against West Ham and Everton that very likely will set the tone for how United are going to finish this season off.

Newcastle United internationals – March 2024:

Thursday 21 March

Portugal 5 Sweden 2

Emil Krafth arriving as a 60th minute sub with Sweden already 4-1 down and Alexander Isak playing the full match but not getting on the scoresheet. The friendly taking place in the Portuguese city of Guimaraes. This was also the first game for Sweden with former Newcastle United striker Jon Dahl Tomasson in charge, after he took over in late February 2024 after leaving Blackburn.

Friday 22 March

Poland U20s 1 England U20s 5

Lewis Hall and Lewis Miley started and starred in this 5-1 England Elite League hammering of Poland. The NUFC duo subbed off in the 72nd and 78th minutes respectively when England were 4-0 up, before both sides scored in the closing stages. Seventeen year old Lewis Miley was making his England Elite League debut.

Saturday 23 March

England 0 Brazil 1

An entertaining match for an England friendly, as Newcastle United duo Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes both put in very good performances. The pair subbed on 75 and 78 minutes respectively having impressed, not so impressive the England defending as finally Bruno took advantage with an 80th minute Endrick winner.

Anthony Gordon surely having now booked his place on the plane to Germany this summer, whilst Bruno pulled the strings for Brazil in midfield, where he is now a regular first team starter.

Denmark 0 Switzerland 0

A welcome return to the Switzerland starting eleven for Newcastle United’s Fabian Schar, playing the full 90 minutes on the right of a three man defence, helping to restrict the home side to only two efforts on target.

Slovakia 0 Austria 2

An even game but after Martin Dubravka and his teammates conceded in the first six seconds, they couldn’t find a way back into this match. As they pressed for the equaliser, conceding a second goal late on.

Monday 25 March

Russia v Paraguay

Miguel Almiron and his international teammates seeing the friendly cancelled following the terrorist attack on a concert hall near Moscow on Friday.

Sweden 1 Albania 0

A successful night for Emil Krafth and Alexander Isak, as the Newcastle United duo both started in this friendly win. Isak playing the full match and Krafth subbed off with four minutes to go.

Tuesday 26 March

Republic of Ireland v Switzerland (Fabian Schar)

England v Belgium (Anthony Gordon)

Spain v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes)

Norway v Slovakia (Martin Dubravka)

Czech Republic U20s v England U20s (Lewis Hall and Lewis Miley) Elite League


 
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