Nick Woltemade answered Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s “idiot” jibe in perfect style as he scored for the third time in four games to Newcastle United cruise to a 4-0 victory at Union Saint-Gilloise in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.
The 23-year-old, whose club record £69 million transfer fee was heavily criticised by the Bayern Munich executive in the run-up to the game, scored with a clever 17th-minute flick which went in off defender Kevin Mac Allister as the Magpies secured their biggest win in the competition’s group phase.
Reuters reports that Anthony Gordon’s penalty double either side of half-time and Harvey Barnes’ late strike secured the points at Lotto Park on a night when Sandro Tonali and Anthony Elanga shone in a first away win in the competition since Sir Bobby Robson’s side beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 in February 2003.
Victory earned the Magpies’ first points of the competition after their opening defeat to Barcelona.
Howe is confident there is more to come from Woltemade.
“His potential is high. It is an exciting start for him and he’s done really really well and more importantly he is willing and he wants to do the work and he wants to improve.
“It is difficult to put a percentage on what he is right now but there is more to come and there will be more to come physically and more to come tactically as we go through the journey together with him.
“We will be doing a lot of physical work with him to get him robust enough for the Premier League week in week out.”
Newcastle started brightly and Joelinton skied a hurried attempt over after keeper Kjell Scherpen had punched Tonali’s first-time cross to the edge of his penalty area and the Italy international was instrumental in breaking the deadlock with 17 minutes gone.
Elanga’s cross was cleared by defender Mac Allister and as Tonali fired towards goal, Woltemade flicked the ball on to the same man and past the wrong-footed Scherpen.
Gordon stabbed wide from a tight angle after running on to another Elanga cross four minutes later with Eddie Howe’s men threatening to take the game by the scruff of the neck, although Nick Pope had to save twice in quick succession from Adem Zorgane.
