Woltemade scores as Newcastle sink Spurs in cup
Nick Woltemade’s second-half header sealed Newcastle United’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, sending the holders into a fourth consecutive Carabao Cup quarterfinal. The German forward’s sixth goal of the season added to Fabian Schär’s early strike before a crowd of 51,216 at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s side, heavily rotated with eight changes from Saturday’s Premier League win over Fulham, produced a composed and disciplined display despite sustained pressure from Spurs. Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, making a rare start, made several crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet as Newcastle edged closer to a potential return to Wembley.
Schär opened the scoring in the 24th minute, meeting Sandro Tonali’s corner with a powerful downward header after a brief delay in play. Tottenham, led by Thomas Frank and resting key players including Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Mohammed Kudus, and Randal Kolo Muani, struggled to find rhythm in the first half despite flashes from Xavi Simons and Brennan Johnson.
Newcastle doubled their advantage in the 57th minute when Joe Willock’s precise cross found Woltemade, who rose above the defence to head home past Antonin Kinsky. The goal underscored the 22-year-old’s growing influence under Howe, combining physical presence with sharp movement in the box.
Tottenham pressed forward late on, but Ramsdale denied Pape Matar Sarr’s curling effort and Richarlison’s close-range flick to secure progression for the hosts. The result highlighted Newcastle’s depth and tactical discipline, with recent signing Malick Thiaw impressing again at the back.
For Howe, the win reinforced his squad’s ability to compete on multiple fronts despite injuries and fixture congestion. For Spurs, the defeat extends their wait for silverware and raises further questions about their consistency under Frank.
Newcastle will discover their quarterfinal opponents in Thursday’s draw as they continue their pursuit of back-to-back Carabao Cup titles.