Nick Woltemade turned frustration into fire as he struck twice for Newcastle United in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Chelsea at St. James’ Park.
The German forward responded in style after last weekend’s derby disappointment. His first-half brace fired the Magpies into a two-goal lead and lifted the stadium early on.
Chelsea, the Club World Cup holders, hit back through Reece James and Joao Pedro to level the contest.
Still, Woltemade focused on the performance rather than the final score. He felt Newcastle controlled large spells and deserved more from the game.
The display also marked a personal lift after an unfortunate own goal at the Stadium of Light six days earlier.
“Mixed emotions – we played really good first half and I think the second half was not even bad; we got two unlucky goals, two situations where you maybe don’t usually get the goals,” the German revealed.
“Of course, first half was better. We could score a third one, I could score a third one, and mixed feelings because we played really well. Normally, we deserve this win.
“If we play like this, I think it’s hard to beat us. We won so many balls, we played good with the ball. The plan was like that and we did really good.”
Beyond the goals, Woltemade highlighted the backing from the stands. The Newcastle supporters stood by him after the derby setback, and he made sure to give back on the pitch.
“When I saw how the fans reacted when I came into the game (in midweek), even the messages I got, I felt really good.
“I’m really happy that I play at a club like this. That’s what I wanted to give back to the fans and I just can say ‘thank you’ to everyone who texted me.
“I got maybe 95 per cent good messages and that’s not normal when you score an own goal in a derby and lose the game. But I’m really happy and thankful to play for the club.
“When I came in on Wednesday, on the pitch, the whole crowd were singing my name. This is not normal and I’m really happy to play in a club like this, to give me a good feeling. That’s why I played, I think, good – because I knew the fans are behind me. The fans give me the confidence.”
As Newcastle push forward in their campaign, Woltemade’s night summed up the bond between player and crowd. Backed by belief. Driven by response. And ready to build again.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
