Sunday 10 August 2014 17:48, UK
Newcastle United ended their pre-season schedule on a high note as Moussa Sissoko's late strike secured a 1-0 win over La Liga side Real Sociedad.
Alan Pardew's men have enjoyed a positive summer, with seven new faces added to a squad which laboured to a 10th-place finish last season, and they will go into the new campaign full of optimism after another friendly win.
Four of those new arrivals – Daryl Janmaat, Jack Colback, Remy Cabella and Emmanuele Riviere – all made their home debuts, but it was the visitors who had the best of the first-half chances as Imanol Agirretxe came close.
The 17th minute saw a touching moment as St James' Park was brought to its feet in applause for John Adler and Liam Sweeney – the two Newcastle fans who lost their lives while travelling on the MH17 plane to New Zealand to watch their team last month.
Riviere threatened for Newcastle as his effort sailed over the bar before Sergio Canales and Agirretxe both threatened for the Spaniards as the tie remained deadlocked at the break.
18-year-old Rolando Aarons, who has impressed with the first team this summer, was introduced for the hosts at half-time and he saw an attempt deflected wide shortly after Colback’s strike was blocked.
Mike Williamson was then thwarted by Geronimo Rulli as the Sociedad goalkeeper pushed away his goal-bound header with a smart save from a Newcastle corner.
The game appeared destined to end goalless, but Sissoko made it five wins from eight friendlies this summer as he slotted beyond Rulli after some clever combination play between Ajoze Perez and Gabriel Obertan.
