Christopher Nkunku Scores In Penalty Shootout On Chelsea Debut As Blues Beat Newcastle On Bad Night For Kieran Trippier
Christopher Nkunku marked his Chelsea debut by scoring in a penalty shootout at Stamford Bridge to help knock Newcastle United out of the EFL Cup.
Nkunku entered Tuesday's quarter-final as a substitute in the 69th minute when the Blues were trailing 1-0 thanks to a fine solo goal by Callum Wilson.
Mykhailo Mudryk then equalized for Chelsea in added time following an error by Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier.
With no extra time played before the semi-finals in the EFL Cup, the game went straight to penalties after ending in a 1-1 tie.
Chelsea won the shootout 4-2, with Nkunku emphatically converting his side's third spot-kick.
Christopher Nkunku pictured (center) receiving instructions from manager Mauricio Pochettino moments before making his Chelsea debut in Tuesday's EFL Cup quarter-final against Newcastle
IMAGO/Action Plus/Shaun Brooks
Newcastle took the lead against the run of play in the 16th minute thanks to some brilliant work by Wilson.
The England striker ran with the ball from inside his own half before beating Blues keeper Djordje Petrovic with the outside of his right boot.
Wilson powered past Thiago Silva but Chelsea's other center-back, Benoit Badiashile, then got his body in between Wilson and the ball.
However, Badiashile undid his good work by allowing the ball to bounce off his right shin into the path of Wilson, who then celebrated in front of a section of home fans.
Callum Wilson pictured (center) scoring for Newcastle against Chelsea
IMAGO/Sportimage/David Klein
Newcastle sat deep in an attempt to hold onto their narrow advantage but their resistance was broken in the 92nd minute following a major blunder by Trippier.
Malo Gusto swung in a poor cross from the right that got nowhere near its intended target.
But Trippier then bizarrely played a soft header back towards his own goal and watched on in horror as Mudryk pounced on the loose ball to slam a shot past Martin Dubravka.
A security breach at Stamford Bridge saw a Chelsea fan run onto the field to celebrate in Dubravka's face.
Cole Palmer, Conor Gallagher, Nkunku and Mudryk then fired past Dubravka in the shootout.
Wilson and Bruno Guimaraes scored for Newcastle but Trippier missed the target before Matt Ritchie was denied by Petrovic.
