Newcastle United welcomed Maritimo to St James' Park in their Europa League Group D clash on Thursday, seeking a win that would secure them a place in the Round of 32.
Alan Pardew's side failed to win despite taking the lead through Sylvain Marveaux midway through the first half, as Philipe Fidelis secured a 1-1 draw for the Portuguese side with his goal in the 79th minute.
However, the result was enough for Newcastle to progress to the first knockout round of the competition because of results elsewhere.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by minute live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole’s live minute-by-minute text commentary of the Europa League match between Newcastle United and Maritimo. It promises to be an exciting game St James’ Park, and you can follow all the action live here.
Heading into tonight’s Group D match, Newcastle find themselves at the top of the group with eight points from four matches. Portuguese club Maritimo are bottom with just two points.
Newcastle United Starting Lineup: Krul, Coloccini, Santon, Simpson, Anita, Taylor, Ben Arfa, Bigirimana, Marveaux, Sa. Ameobi, Cisse
Maritimo Starting Lineup: Salin, Rosario, Ferreira, Diogo, Miranda, Roberge, Luiz, Simao, Sami, Adilson, Danilo Dias
Newcastle will be the obvious favourites tonight to win and progress to the last 32 of the competition. The Magpies are unbeaten in six European games this season – three home wins (during which they have not conceded) and three away draws.
Newcastle have won their last eight UEFA competition home matches and are unbeaten in their last 10.
The Premier League club are unbeaten in 24 home games in this competition as well.
Marítimo have lost both of their away games in Group D without scoring and need to bag maximum points tonight to stand a chance of progressing to the round of 32.
Kickoff at St James’ Park is just a few minutes away, so stay on this page to follow the match live.
The players are coming on to the pitch now. It is just five minutes away from kickoff.
The players on the pitch now, as the game is set to begin.
And Newcastle kick off proceedings in this Group D match...
SANTON! Brilliant play from the Italian full-back, as he cuts inside from the right and shoots at the Maritimo goal, bringing out a good save from Romain Salin.
Newcastle go on the attack again, this time Cisse having the chance. The hosts have started the game very brightly indeed.
Maritimo go on the attack now down the left side. The visitors eventually earn a corner but fail to create anything productive from the set piece.
It has been a lively start to this Europa League Group D game. Remember, Newcastle will go through with a win tonight. Maritimo need to win to stand any chance of progressing through to the last 32.
The game has fallen flat in the last four or so minutes, as the two sides are cancelling out each other in midfield at the moment.
Maritimo are passing the ball around in the midfield with Leandro Danilo Dias, Joao Diogo and David Martins Simao all getting into the action. However, Davide Santon eventually dispossesses Danilo Dias.
Fifteen minutes gone, and it is goalless between Newcastle United and Maritimo. What started as a very bright game has gone quiet now.
Maritimo are looking more comfortable on the ball than their hosts at the moment, as they are keeping the play inside the Newcastle half.
Brilliant defending there from Maritimo. Marveaux runs down the right flank, gets inside the Maritimo penalty area, but he loses the ball under pressure.
GOAL Sylvain Marveaux scores and makes it 1-0 to Newcastle United! Hatem Ben Arfa sends him through down the right, and he scores from a tight angle!
That was a well-taken goal and just what Newcastle needed. Pardew’s side seemed to struggle in the last 10 or so minutes, but are now 1-0 up.
That goal has rejuvenated Newcastle, it appears. Sammy Ameobi runs down the right flank, plays a reverse pass to Simpson, who crosses the ball but Salin collects it with ease.
Half an hour gone in this match, and Newcastle lead Maritimo 1-0, thanks to Sylvain Marveaux’s well-taken goal in the 23rd minute.
The Magpies are looking very comfortable on the ball at the moment, as they are passing it around well. That goal seems to have given the home side more confidence and essentially waken them up.
Santon goes on the attack down the left wing for Newcastle and earns a corner. The Italian left-back has been very good so far in this match.
CISSE! Oh, his goal is disallowed! Romain Salin parries Gael Bigirimana’s shot on target, but it falls to Papiss Demba Cisse, who slots home from close range. However, the Newcastle striker is flagged offside.
SUBSTITUTION Newcastle are forced to make their first change of the evening. Hatem Ben Arfa goes off with what looks like a hamstring injury, and on comes Demba Ba.
That is worrying for Newcastle and Pardew - the suspected hamstring injury picked up by Ben Arfa. He was holding the back of his left thigh as he limped off the pitch.
Three minutes to half-time and Newcastle lead Maritimo 1-0. The visitors are struggling to get the ball out of their own half at the moment.
One minute of injury time has been awarded at the end of the first half.
It’s half-time at St James’ Park, and Newcastle United lead Maritimo 1-0, thanks to Sylvain Marveaux’s goal in the 23rd minute.
It was not the best of first halves I have seen this season, but Newcastle fans won’t mind. They have done just enough to take a slender advantage into the break, and as things stand, they are going through to the round of 32.
Stay on this page for all the second-half action between Newcastle and Maritimo.
The second half will start in a matter of minutes. Newcastle lead Maritimo 1-0 at the break.
And here we start with the second-half action...
I can tell you for sure that Ben Arfa's injury has been confirmed as a hamstring injury. That is not good news for Alan Pardew at all.
The home side will make a change soon, it seems.
SUBSTITUTION Romain Amalfitano comes on for Papiss Cisse for Newcastle.
First real chance of the game for Newcastle in the second half, as Sammy Ameobi shoots on goal, but Romain Salin makes the save.
It is now Tim Krul's time to make a save, as the Newcastle goalkeeper keeps out Leandro Danilo Dias' right-footed shot.
Ten minutes gone in the second half and it is still 1-0 to Newcastle. The match has not been one of the best I have seen in any competition this season, to be honest.
SANTON! Wonderful play from the Newcastle full-back, as he charges down the left flank and then floats in a great cross looking for Demba Ba, but it is headed away just in time.
SUBSTITIION Maritimo make their first change of the evening. Philipe Fidelis comes on for Cassama Adilson.
The visitors go on the attack now, as a cross is drilled in from the left by Ferreira Ruben, However, Fabricio Coloccini is there to clear the danger away.
Danilo Dias goes close again! The Maritimo attackers takes a right-footed shot from outside the Newcastle area, but it goes wide.
AMEOBI! Sammy Ameobi floats in two crosses in the space of a few seconds, but on both occasions Salin keeps them out. Once again, Davide Santon was very crucial in pushing forward with the attacking moves down the left flank.
I am getting reports that Papiss Cisse was substituted in the early minutes of the second half because of his recurring back injury. That is not good at all for Alan Pardew and his Newcastle team.
AMEOBI! The Newcastle forward shoots just wide of the mark after Sylvain Marveaux finds him with a well-floated free kick from long range!
Just 20 minutes of normal time remain at St James' Park. Newcastle will progress to the Europa League Round of 32 if they hold on to their 1-0 lead. On the other hand, Maritimo will be knocked out.
Good save there from Krul, as he keeps out Ferreira Ruben's very good shot.
SUBSTITUTION Maritimo's Luis Ruben Brigido comes on for David Martins Simao.
Now Newcastle launch an attack down the right, as Romain Amalfitano floats in a cross-shor from the right. However, Romain Salin is wary of it and makes a comfortable catch in the end.
SUBSTITUTION. Mehdi Abeid comes on for Sammy Ameobi, as Newcastle make their third and final change of this game.
Good attacking move there from Newcastle down the left wing. Santon and Marveuax combine well, with the former sending a good cross from the left. However, Demba Ba has too many defenders on his back to get a clean touch on the ball.
GOAL Philipe Fidelis scores for Maritimo and makes it 1-1! He receives the ball outside the Newcastle box on the left side and gallops into the area before shooting past Krul from a tight angle. Wonderful goal, that one!
Wow! We now have a very exciting 10 minutes in store at St James' Park in this Europa League Group D match.
Salin makes a comfortable save from a Davide Santon shot there.
The ball is inside the Newcastle goal, but it won't count as the referee rules it out for offside. Fidelis must be gutted there.
Five minutes remain at St James' Park. It is 1-1 at the moment, but both sides are clearly looking for the third goal of the match that should prove to be the winner.
Three minutes of normal time remain now. Score remains 1-1.
Leocisio Sami shoots on goal, but it goes over the Newcastle crossbar.
SAMI! Once again Leocisio Sami tries his luck from distance, but fails to his attempt on target. This time his shot went wide.
Three minutes of injury time have been awarded.
Fidelis!!! Oh, how close was that! A brilliant cross is floated in from the left that the Maritimo substitute fires towards the Newcastle goal, but fails to keep it on target.
It's all over at St James' Park, as Newcastle United have drawn 1-1 with Maritimo in their Europa League Group D clash.
Sylvain Marveaux scored for the hosts midway through the first half, but Philipe Fidelis equalised for the Portuguese side on 79 minutes. However, the result does see Newcastle go through to the Round of 32 because of results elsewhere in the group.
I hope that you enjoyed our live coverage of the match here on Sports Mole. Have a good night. It's goodbye from me for now.
