Newcastle concede late equaliser to draw at Bayer Leverkusen

Alejandro Grimaldo broke Newcastle’s hearts as he struck late to deny them Champions League victory at Bayer Leverkusen.

Substitute Lewis Miley looked to have claimed all three points at the BayArena with a 73rd-minute header after Anthony Gordon’s penalty had cancelled out Bruno Guimaraes’ unfortunate own goal on a night when Malick Thiaw was perhaps fortunate not to be sent off before the break.

However, after the Magpies had twice hit the post, Grimaldo snatched a 2-2 draw with an 88th-minute equaliser to leave Eddie Howe’s men wondering what might have been as they turned their attention to Sunday’s derby trip to Sunderland.

The Magpies dominated the early stages without finding gaps in a well-marshalled home defence until Harvey Barnes, looking for a fifth goal in as many games in the competition, cut inside to test keeper Mark Flekken with a sixth-minute attempt from distance.

Leverkusen, with assistant Rogier Meijer in the dugout in the absence of head coach Kasper Hjulmand for personal reasons, gradually eased their way into the game with Malik Tillman and Ernest Poku making their presence felt behind lone striker Patrik Schick.

It was they who took a 13th-minute lead when skipper Robert Andrich evaded Sandro Tonali to head an Aleix Garcia corner into the unwitting Guimaraes’ back and watch as the ball ricocheted into the net.

Flekken saved a weak left-footed effort from Barnes as the visitors tried to respond but the Bundesliga side were emboldened and Thiaw enjoyed a 21st-minute escape when he hauled down Schick as he burst clear on to Tillman’s pass.

Dutch referee Serdar Gozubuyuk initially pointed to the spot and then was advised that the foul had taken place just outside the area, handing the defender a