Perfect send off for Newcastle United goalkeeper


 
 
 
 
 
 

Newcastle United fans wondering whether Martin Dubravka has played his last ever game for Newcastle United.

Nick Pope returning to action as number one last month after a bad shoulder injury, whilst widespread claims in recent days that Newcastle United have made a £16m offer to Burnley for James Trafford, to allegedly bring him in as the new NUFC number two to compete with Pope.

However, at least for now, Martin Dubravka only has eyes for the European Championships.

He and his international teammates with the perfect send off for the tournament, as they hammered Wales 4-0 on Sunday in their final warm up match for the Euros.

Martin Dubravka making it eight clean sheets in his last 13 appearances for Slovakia. That in sharp contrast to the 42 goals he conceded in only 22 Premier League matches for Newcastle United last season, with only four clean sheets in those 22 PL games.

An impressive qualifying campaign saw them unlucky to lose twice to group winners Portugal but Slovakia winning seven and drawing one, of their other eight group matches.

Slovakia are in Group E in Germany, Martin Dubravka and his international teammates will play Belgium next Monday (17 June) and then Ukraine and Romania in their other two group matches.

The schedule of Newcastle United players on international duty:

Monday 3 June

England 3 Bosnia & Herzegovina 0 (Friendly)

Kieran Trippier was captain and put in a good performance at left-back at St James’ Park. One of five England players subbed just after the hour mark, Trippier a certainty for the plane to Germany. Southgate resting Anthony Gordon to ensure no lingering issues from his ankle injury, the manager hoping to play the NUFC winger on Friday against Iceland.

Tuesday 4 June

Switzerland 4 Estonia 0 (Friendly)

Fabian Schar with a perfect warm up match for the European Championships. Playing on the right of a back three with Akanji and Elvedi, they restricted the opposition to just three efforts on target in this commanding win.

Wednesday 5 June

Denmark 2 Sweden 1 (Friendly)

Emil Krafth played the full 90 minutes and had a decent game at right-back. Whilst playing through the middle, Alexander Isak produced a very good left foot finish after making space for himself with a right foot touch. That ninth minute goal equalised an early Denmark goal but Eriksen won it with four minutes to go with a sweet strike from outside the box for the hosts. By that time Isak had been subbed with twenty minutes to go.

Slovakia 4 San Marino 0 (Friendly)

An easy win for Slovakia which Newcastle’s Martin Dubravka watched from the bench.

Friday 7 June

England 0 Iceland 1 (Friendly)

Both Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier started at Wembley in this final warm-up game ahead of the Euros. England stunned when Porsteinsson scored on the break in the 12th minute, both Stones and Ramsdale at fault for the goal.

England huffed and puffed and had plenty of possession but against a packed defence struggled to create a lot of clear chances. Kane missed an open goal from six yards out and Palmer could/should have done better with chances for himself. A night when England’s supposed stellar names/players, the likes of Foden, Rice and Kane were poor.

Trippier and Gordon lined up on the left and the defender had a decent match, whilst Anthony Gordon wasn’t one of the weakest in the attacking half, linked up well with Palmer at times in the first half. The Newcastle United pair were subbed with 25 minutes to go.

Saturday 8 June

Gambia 5 Seychelles 1 (World Cup group qualifier)

Teenager Yankuba Minteh started in this World Cup group qualifier and with the score at 2-1, the Newcastle United winger scored his latest goal. A 55th minute strike past the keeper and two despairing late covering challenges from defenders. Then after Gambia went 5-1 up on 78 minutes, Yankuba Minteh subbed with his work done.

Mexico 2 Brazil 3 (Friendly)

Bruno Guimaraes one of a number of usual starters who began this match on the bench after busy club seasons. Brazil raced into a 2-0 lead but when Mexico pulled it back to 2-1, Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius Jnr brought on to help see the win out. However, a shocker from Alisson allowed Mexico to equalise in the second minute of added time, only for a fine header from 17 year old Endrick to win it, glancing the winner home from a Vinicius Jnr left wing cross.

Sweden 0 Serbia 3 (Friendly)

Sweden made it two defeats this week in friendlies against two of England’s group opponents, Southgate’s players take on Serbia next Sunday in their first group match whilst Sweden lost 2-1 to Denmark in their previous friendly.

Emil Krafth played the full match and despite only introduced at half-time, Alexander Isak rated Sweden’s man of the match.

The scoreline not exactly telling the full picture, as Serbia scored with three of only five efforts on target, Sweden having 20 altogether with nine of them on target. Sweden had 10 corners compared to none at all for Serbia, whilst Sweden had a possession advantage of 64% to 36%.

However, yet another warning for England, that no matter how much they might dominate matches, they need to take their chances AND cut out the mistakes at the back. Former NUFC striker Mitro with the second goal, suggesting he might not have found playing in the weak Saudi league too damaging, Mitrovic with 28 goals in 27 league starts this season.

Switzerland 1 Austria 1 (Friendly)

Fabian Schar was missing from the squad due to an injury picked up in Tuesday’s 4-0 win over Estonia, Switzerland drawing in their last warm up game before the Euros.

Spain 5 Northern Ireland 1 (Friendly)

Jamal Lewis played the full game in Mallorca and Mackem defender Dan Ballard caused a shock when putting the visitors ahead after only two minutes. Shame about the other end of the pitch as Spain retaliated with five goals of their own.

Peru 0 Paraguay 0 (Friendly)

Miguel Almiron played the first 64 minutes in this warm up for the Copa America.

Sunday 9 June

Slovakia 4 Wales 0 (Friendly)

A perfect preparation for Martin Dubravka and his international teammates, as they hammered Wales in their final warm up match for the Euros. The Newcastle United keeper making it eight clean sheets in his last 13 appearances for Slovakia.

Tuesday 11 June

Gabon v Gambia (Yankuba Minteh) World Cup group qualifier

Andorra v Northern Ireland (Jamal Lewis) Friendly

Wednesday 12 June

USA v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes) Friendly

Chile v Paraguay (Miguel Almiron) Friendly

Sunday 16 June

England v Serbia (Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier) Euros Group match

Panama v Paraguay (Miguel Almiron) Copa America Group match

Monday 17 June

Slovakia v Belgium (Martin Dubravka) Euros Group match

Thursday 20 June

England v Denmark (Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier) Euros Group match

Friday 21 June

Slovakia v Ukraine (Martin Dubravka) Euros Group match

Monday 24 June 

Costa Rica v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes) Copa America Group match

Colombia v Paraguay (Miguel Almiron) Copa America Group match

Tuesday 25 June

England v Slovenia (Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier) Euros Group match

Wednesday 26 June

Slovakia v Romania (Martin Dubravka) Euros Group match

Friday 28 June 

Paraguay v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes and Miguel Almiron) Copa America Group match

Tuesday 2 July 

Colombia v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes) Copa America Group match

There will of course be more matches, if Newcastle United players see their nations get through the group stages of the Copa America and/or the European Championships.