Sandro Tonali’s stunning strike keeps Newcastle in Champions League hunt | OneFootball

Sandro Tonali blasted Newcastle firmly into the race for Champions League qualification with a stunning strike to seal a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brentford.

On a night when Alexander Isak became the first man to score 20 Premier League goals for the Magpies in consecutive seasons, it was Italy international Tonali, who found the back of the net twice against the Bees in the Carabao Cup fifth round, who snatched the headlines with a superb winner 16 minutes from time.

Isak had given the hosts, playing for their first time since their Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool, the lead in first-half stoppage time with his 24th goal of the season and 20th in the league.

Bryan Mbeumo equalised with a penalty before Tonali lit up St James’ Park and eased his side into fifth place with a game in hand on the teams above them.

Isak should have scored within two minutes, but glanced a header wide from Tino Livramento’s cross before Kieran Trippier had to get in a timely header to prevent Mbeumo’s teasing cross from reaching Kevin Schade at the far post.

Brentford were almost caught out with 22 minutes gone when Jacob Murphy slid Isak in and he stepped outside defender Nathan Collins before blasting a foot over Mark Flekken’s crossbar.

Harvey Barnes and Tonali both saw shots blocked in quick succession as the home side turned the screw, but Fabian Schar had to put his body on the line to prevent Schade’s 30th-minute drive from calling Nick Pope into action for the first time.

Barnes had the ball in the net in stoppage time after Isak had left Ethan Pinnock and Nathan Collins behind with a mazy run, but tried to be too clever and his team-mate had run offside.

However, the Sweden international made amends within seconds, arriving at the far post to tap home Murphy’s cross after Mbeumo had slipped in front of him at the end of a move which had started with Pope.

Newcastle picked up where they had left off after the restart, but with Mbeumo’s invention testing the Magpies, their lead rarely looked comfortable.

Murphy and Barnes both should have extended their advantage after the former had caught Keane Lewis-Potter in possession, but it evaporated with 66 minutes gone when, after Pope had brought Yoane Wissa down as they competed for a ball lofted into the penalty area, Mbeumo calmly converted to level.

Brentford should have been ahead within two minutes when Pinnock rose unopposed to meet Schade’s cross, but saw his header come back off a post.

It was left to Tonali to win it in style with a remarkable 74th-minute strike from an unlikely angle, which caught out Mark Flekken at his near post and sent the home fans among a crowd of 52,021 into raptures.