Miley strikes late as Newcastle edge Fulham to reach Carabao Cup semifinals

Lewis Miley delivered a dramatic stoppage-time winner as holders Newcastle United booked their place in the Carabao Cup semifinals with a tense 2-1 victory over Fulham.

The 19 year old midfielder rose highest from a late corner to settle a tight contest that had looked destined for penalties after goals from Yoane Wissa and Sasa Lukic in the opening half.

Newcastle had taken an early lead through Wissa, who marked his first full start with his maiden goal for the club, but Fulham responded swiftly when Lukic powered home a close-range header to restore parity.

The result carried added significance for Eddie Howe’s side, who were eager to respond after their weekend derby defeat to Sunderland and keep alive hopes of defending the trophy they lifted last season.

With a place in the final four on the line, the match was played at a sharp tempo early on, with Fulham showing ambition and confidence in possession. Raúl Jiménez tested Newcastle’s concentration inside the opening minutes as the visitors looked to unsettle the home crowd.

Despite that bright start, Newcastle struck first in the 10th minute. Fabian Schär switched play brilliantly to Jacob Murphy, whose low cross was only partially dealt with by Benjamin Lecomte, allowing Wissa to react quickest and stab the ball into the net.

Fulham hit back six minutes later. Joachim Andersen picked out Antonee Robinson on the left, and his delivery into the area was met by an unmarked Lukic, who guided his header past Aaron Ramsdale.

Chances followed at both ends in an increasingly open first half. Wissa mistimed a header from close range, while Ramsdale was forced into action to deny Fulham at the other end as the game settled into a finely balanced rhythm.

Newcastle pressed again before the break, with Bruno Guimarães seeing a curling effort saved and Murphy and Tino Livramento both going close amid sustained pressure around the Fulham box.

The hosts carried that momentum into the second half. Harvey Barnes forced a low stop from Lecomte and an apparent Newcastle goal midway through the half was ruled out when Murphy was flagged offside in the buildup.

Substitutions followed on both sides as the match tightened, with Sandro Tonali introduced to add control in midfield and Fulham turning to pace and power from the bench in search of a late breakthrough.

A cautious final phase saw Fulham threaten sporadically from set pieces, while Newcastle probed patiently without forcing clear openings. Lecomte kept the scores level with a sharp save from Miley as nerves grew inside the stadium.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the second minute of added time. From Tonali’s corner, Miley made a clever near-post run and flicked his header beyond the Fulham goalkeeper, the ball looping into the net to spark celebrations around St. James’ Park.

Fulham pushed forward one last time, with Kenny Tete blazing over from a distance, but Newcastle managed the closing moments calmly to secure progression.

The late winner sends Howe’s side back into the semifinals and keeps their cup defense firmly on track, while Miley’s decisive contribution underlined his growing influence at the senior level.