Dango Ouattara emerged as Brentford’s match-winner with a dramatic late strike that sealed a historic 3-2 victory over Newcastle United at St James’ Park, completing the club’s first-ever Premier League double over the Magpies and reinforcing their growing reputation as a dangerous travelling side.
The Bees arrived in the northeast brimming with confidence after an impressive run of away form, and they nearly made the perfect start when Keane Lewis-Potter raced through inside two minutes.
The winger went down under pressure from Kieran Trippier, who appeared to tug his shirt, but appeals for a penalty were dismissed by both the referee and VAR.
Newcastle gradually settled and capitalised midway through the opening half. Sven Botman rose highest to meet Bruno Guimaraes’ deep delivery, directing a powerful header into the roof of the net to give the hosts the lead and spark life into the home crowd.
Brentford, however, responded with composure and attacking purpose. Their equaliser arrived in the 37th minute through Ouattara’s exceptional delivery into the box, which Vitaly Janelt expertly guided into the far corner.
The visitors completed their turnaround moments before the interval after Jacob Murphy handled Mathias Jensen’s effort on the line, allowing Igor Thiago to convert confidently from the penalty spot for his 17th league goal of the campaign.
The second half saw Newcastle push for a response but struggle to create clear openings. Their frustrations briefly eased when Guimaraes converted from the spot after being tripped inside the area with just over ten minutes remaining, restoring parity and setting up a tense finale.
Yet Brentford had the final say. With time running out, Ouattara unleashed a fierce low drive that slipped beneath Nick Pope and nestled into the bottom corner, silencing St James’ Park and capping a remarkable individual performance.
The result lifts Brentford into seventh place following Everton’s earlier win, extending their impressive away run to five victories from six matches.
Newcastle, meanwhile, continue to lose ground in the race for European qualification, increasing pressure as the season enters a decisive phase.
