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Eddie Howe's players had other ideas.
Alexander Isak scored twice as the English Premier League
team won the northeast derby 3-0 in front of a fervent crowd at the Stadium of
Light on Saturday. Dan Ballard's own goal gave Newcastle a first half lead.
“I never worried about the draw, I always thought it was a
great draw — as long as we won it,” Howe said. “We handled the occasion well,
were brave with the ball and were very composed. We didn’t let the crowd take
over and we handled everything really well in the first half.”
Newcastle had won just one of its past eight games and was
eliminated from the Champions League and League Cup. A derby against
second-division Sunderland was seen as a difficult encounter but Newcastle
comfortably advanced to the fourth round.
Howe will hope victory provides a platform to turn the
season around. His team was 11 points off the top four and Champions League
qualification.
Newcastle was given an early advantage through Ballard's own
goal in the 35th minute.
Isak doubled the lead in the 46th — finishing from inside
the box after Miguel Almiron's assist — and he completed the scoring with a
penalty in the 90th.
It was the first derby between the teams since 2016 and the
first time Newcastle has beaten Sunderland since 2011.
“It has been a long time since we’ve played this type of
game," Newcastle defender Dan Burn said. “If you can ask fans whether they
would rather advance in the Champions League or beat Sunderland, I think they
would pick beating Sunderland.”
COMEBACKS
Trailing at second-division Queens Park Rangers 2-0,
Bournemouth was in danger of an early exit from the competition. But
Bournemouth has been one of the form sides in the top-flight since November and
Marcus Tavernier sparked a second-half comeback. Further goals from Kieffer
Moore and Justin Kluivert sealed a 3-2 win.
Brighton was also behind to second division opposition after
Jan Paul van Hecke’s 16th-minute own goal at Stoke.
Pervis Estupinan levelled the score for the Premier League
team in first-half stoppage time and Lewis Dunk added another early in the
second half.
Lewis Baker equalized for Stoke from the penalty spot, but
two Joao Pedro goals completed a 4-2 win for Brighton.
There were no scares for Sheffield United, which picked up
only its third win of the season in all competitions by beating fourth-division
Gillingham 4-0.
William Osula and James McAtee scored two goals each in the
game at Priestfield Stadium, which gave relegation-fighting Sheffield United a
rare highlight in a troubled campaign.
LEICESTER ADVANCES
Leicester, which won the cup in 2021, beat Millwall 3-2.
The 2016 Premier League champion is enjoying an impressive
season after being relegated from the top-flight last year. Enzo Maresca’s team
looks set to be promoted after building a 10-point lead atop division two, and
victory against Millwall was its 24th in 30 games in all
competitions.
NON-LEAGUE HEROES
Non-league Maidstone can dream of a date with one of the
giants of English soccer after beating third-division Stevenage 1-0.
Sam Corne’s penalty in the 45th settled the
match.
Another non-league team, Eastleigh, will be in the draw for
the fourth round after holding fourth-division Newport to 1-1.
But Chesterfield suffered a cruel exit at second-divison
Watford. Leading 1-0 at halftime at Vicarage Road, Chesterfield was on course
for a replay at 1-1 going into added on time.
But Tom Dele-Bashiru’s winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time sealed Watford’s comeback.