Newcastle surrenders 2-0 lead to lose 5-2 in Asia
Newcastle led 2-0 at halftime but collapsed in the second half against Kyoto Sanga.
The 2025 A-League premiers fell apart after the break in their Asian Champions League Elite match on Tuesday, conceding five goals to lose 5-2 in Japan. Newcastle led 2-0 thanks to two penalties from Pat Wood, then surrendered control completely.
Alex Souza equalised in the 56th minute, then Marco Tulio put Kyoto ahead before Rafael Elias sealed it. Souza struck again in the 84th minute.
The Jets have now conceded 15 goals in three group games and sit at the bottom of the table. They need to finish in the top half of 16 teams to reach the knockout stage, with five games left to play.
- 5-2 loss
- Final score
- 2 from Pat Wood
- Newcastle's penalty goals
- 15
- Goals conceded in 3 games
- 5 of 10 group matches
- Games remaining
Why it mattersNewcastle's title defence in Asia is in serious trouble, needing a major turnaround with half their group games remaining.
AustraliaNewcastle's poor form in the Asian Champions League threatens Australia's club standing in the competition and raises questions about the defending champs' depth.
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