A Wild Finish Decided in the Air

The clash between Newcastle United and Tottenham seemed to be tilting toward the home side, who dominated long stretches of the match from the opening whistle. Playing sharp, assertive football, the team led by Eddie Howe finally broke through thanks to Bruno Guimarães, who slotted home a composed finish following a scramble in the box.

But Tottenham refused to fade. Trailing on the scoreboard, Thomas Frank made aggressive attacking changes, introducing Mathys Tel, Richarlison, and Xavi Simons — and the effect was immediate. A dangerous delivery from Mohammed Kudus met the diving header of Cristian “Cuti” Romero, who leveled the score with a fearless finish.

The drama escalated even further as a penalty was awarded after a tangle between Rodrigo Bentancur and Dan Burn, confirmed via VAR. Anthony Gordon stepped up and converted to restore the advantage for Newcastle United late in the match.

But in the dying moments, came the play that will be remembered all season: a poorly cleared punch from Aaron Ramsdale fell toward Cuti Romero, who launched himself into an acrobatic overhead kick that bounced through traffic and rolled into the net — stunning St. James’ Park into silence.

Cuti: “Training with Messi changes you”

Speaking after the match, the Argentine center back admitted that the audacity behind the attempt came from firsthand observation of Lionel Messi:

“I train every day with Leo Messi in the national team and I watch him. It’s a beautiful goal.”

He added how meaningful the moment felt:

“In the last matches, we know we haven’t been at the level we want. Today, the mentality of the team was huge. In the difficult moments, we must respond together.”

Frank: “Romero’s leadership is exceptional”

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank praised his captain’s all-around performance, not just his two goals but his composure and presence:

“We need to start praising Cuti. He defended with calmness and intensity, and then scored twice. The bicycle kick will get the headlines, but the header is just as impressive — the timing is better than many strikers.”

For Frank, the result was about more than the draw:

“It’s been a tough week — four games in ten days, three away. St. James’ Park is always difficult. But the ability to react, to suffer early and then be brave on the ball later — there’s a lot to love about that performance.”