Flashes of potential in Nick Woltemade and a team that can’t get the job done. That’s becoming a theme at Newcastle.
Voltemade’s return to Germany ended in a disappointing 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen after he scored a penalty, which was his first goal for the team.
Newcastle created more than enough chances to win, including twice hitting the post, but Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo goal in the 88th minute meant Eddie Howe’s side dropped a point for the third time in five games when they were leading.
Woltemade’s most obvious asset is his towering 6-foot-6 (1.98m) height, but as usual this season he made his mark in other ways as well.
The German striker showed great game awareness and surprised Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Frecken with possession as he tried to pass the ball upfield. As Frecken desperately tried to keep the ball away, Waltemade converted a penalty and Anthony Gordon scored to level the score at 1-1.
Lewis Miley’s header then put Newcastle ahead, but the team were unable to finish the match, with Grimaldo scoring for the second successive Champions League match against England.
Last season, he was an unused substitute in both of Woltemade’s Stuttgart team’s matches against Leverkusen, which shows how quickly he rose to fame.
Voltemade was not a regular starter in the Bundesliga until early 2025 and was left out of Stuttgart’s Champions League squad last season, although he finished the season with 17 goals in all competitions. His combination of height and technique made him a popular target with clubs across Europe.
Having scored seven goals for Newcastle so far, he has settled in well and has so far avoided the fate of other German strikers whose moves to the Premier League fell through, including Chelsea and Tottenham’s Timo Werner and West Ham’s Niklas Furkurg. His four goals in his last three games for the German national team have further increased his reputation domestically.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
