Joelinton's goal earned Newcastle a 1-0 win over promoted Southampton in their first game of the Premier League season at St James' Park on Saturday (Aug 17), despite going down to 10 men in the first half. Fabian Schär was sent off in the 28th minute for retaliating after a foul by Ben Brereton Díaz but the visitors failed to make the most of their numerical advantage, and Newcastle took the lead just before the break.
Joelinton's goal secured a hard-fought opening-day victory for 10-man Newcastle over newly promoted Southampton in an ill-tempered match at St James' Park.
A dreadful pass from Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy gifted the ball to striker Alexander Isak, who set up Brazil midfielder Joelinton to score with Newcastle's only shot on target just before half-time.
That goal came 17 minutes after home defender Fabian Schar had been shown a red card for going head-to-head with Ben Brereton Diaz, after he had been shoved in the back by the Southampton forward.
Brereton Diaz dropped to the ground after minimal contact from Schar and referee Craig Pawson sent off the Swiss defender.
Schar's red card galvanised St James' Park as the noise levels rose and Eddie Howe's side dug deep to defend waves of Southampton attacks.
Tempers flared even further at half-time with both sets of players pushing and shoving in the tunnel.
In a more subdued second half, Southampton came agonisingly close to equalising through Brereton Diaz but Lewis Hall's sublime clearance off the line kept the Magpies' clean sheet intact.
Southampton had 19 shots to Newcastle's three but failed to find an equaliser.
