The China Mail - Rashford bags first Barca goals to seal win at Newcastle

Rashford struck twice in the space of nine minutes in the second half at St James' Park to make a memorable return to England following his loan move from Manchester United in July.

The 27-year-old's first goals in the Champions League since 2021 will have made for painful viewing for United fans, whose team have no European football this season and are already mired in a dismal start to the Premier League campaign.

Anthony Gordon got one back for Newcastle in the closing stages but it was too late to salvage a point in their Champions League group phase opener.

Rashford fell out of favour with United boss Ruben Amorim last season and was sent on loan to Aston Villa in the second half of the campaign before being exiled to Barcelona for the whole of this term.

Once feted as the future of English football after emerging from United's youth academy as a precocious teenager, Rashford's career has dipped badly in recent years amid claims he is longer focused on his career.

But Rashford's vibrant performance on Tyneside suggested he could be about to embark on a long-awaited renaissance with Barcelona.

Rashford has often made a habit of tormenting Newcastle and it was his seventh career goal against the Magpies.

Off to a solid start in La Liga with three wins from four games, Barcelona were without Spain forward Lamine Yamal, who was sidelined for Sunday's 6-0 victory against Valencia with a groin injury.

But Rashford's double ensured Yamal wasn't missed by Hansi Flick's team.

Beaten by Inter Milan in last season's Champions League semi-finals, Barcelona haven't reached the final since they last lifted the trophy in 2015.

But the five-time European champions are expected to be among the leading contenders this season and this was a strong start to their challenge.

The defeat punctured Newcastle's hopes of making a strong start on their return to the Champions League after they failed to make it out of the group stage in 2023-24.

- Rashford dazzles -

Newcastle enjoyed one of the greatest nights in their history when Faustino Asprilla's hat-trick inspired a 3-2 Champions League group stage win against Barcelona in September 1997.

Almost 28 years to the day since that remarkable evening at St James' Park, Asprilla jetted in from Colombia to watch Newcastle's first clash with Barcelona since 2003.

Foreshadowing his influential display, Rashford provided Barcelona's first moment of menace with a burst into the area before shooting into the side-netting.

Newcastle called the shots for much of the first half and Anthony Elanga's pace unhinged Barcelona's defence as he guided a cross towards Harvey Barnes for a fierce strike that Joan Garcia palmed away.

Robert Lewandowski tried to lift Barcelona out of their lethargy but Fabian Schar and Dan Burn threw themselves into last-ditch blocks to keep the Pole at bay.

Rising to meet a corner, Newcastle midfielder Joelinton glanced a good headed chance wide from six yards early in the second half.

Despite that narrow escape, Barcelona were far more effective after the interval and took the lead in the 58th minute.

Jules Kounde whipped his cross into the area and Rashford easily eluded Schar to bury a powerful header past Newcastle keeper Nick Pope from 12 yards.

Rashford doubled Barcelona's advantage in the 67th minute in stunning style.

Taking possession 25 yards from goal, Rashford glided past Sandro Tonali and unleashed a fierce strike that left Pope grasping at thin air as it flashed into the top corner.

Gordon set up a tense finale when he met Jacob Murphy's low cross with a clinical close-range finish in the 90th minute, but Barcelona held firm.

M.Zhou--ThChM