- Joselu scores 1st NUFC goal
- Clark, Mitrovic score
- West Ham now 0-3
- Magpies nab first goals, win of season
Newcastle United poured misery on West Ham United’s slow start to the season in breaking out for a 3-0 win at St. James Park on Saturday.
Joselu, Ciaran Clark, and Aleksandar Mitrovic scored for Rafa Benitez’s embattled Magpies, who posted their first win in any competition this season and first August win in three seasons.
[ MORE: Rafa, Joselu react ]
West Ham falls to 0-3, increasing pressure on manager Slaven Bilic.
Matt Ritchie was Man of the Match for the Magpies, the Scottish midfielder pulling the strings on multiple occasions.
The win helped Rafa Benitez became the fourth-fastest manager to 500 points in Premier League play
[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]
Newcastle spent time in the West Ham end to start the match, but the first 15 minutes were more cagey than promising for either side.
Javier Hernandez was given a yellow card for an off-the-ball incident with Matt Ritchie, and Newcastle came close to breaking its season duck off the restart. Isaac Hayden blazed over the bar.
Andre Ayew injured himself on a slide tackle and cause a five-minute delay as the bloodied striker was given treatment and a new shirt.
The Magpies found their opener in attractive fashion. An incisive through ball from on-loan Borussia Dortmund man Mikel Merino helped Christian Atsu into the left of the box, and Joselu met the diminutive Ghanaian’s pass for a 1-0 lead.
[ MORE: Latest Premier League standings ]
Back on track!!! @NUFC
— DeAndre Yedlin (@yedlinny) August 26, 2017
[ MORE: Full lineups, stats, box score ]
The Magpies buzzed into the second half, forcing Joe Hart into a solid save within the first two minutes.
Hernandez was warned over a 51st minute foul, but remained in the match and nearly leveled the match only to see Rob Elliot and Ciaran Clark conspire to keep Newcastle’s clean sheet in tact.
Ritchie’s daring dribble ended with Hart slapping his shot away, eventually leading to an unsuccessful corner.
Clark made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute when he rose to head Ritchie’s cross home with authority.
Substitute striker Aleksandar Mitrovic had two good chances, heading the first over and stymied by Hart on the second.
He’d find the net when an Ayoze Perez flick left him 1v1 with Hart. Mitrovic froze the England keeper and rounded him for a tap-in. 3-0.