International Magpie Roundup: Mar. 23

No more World Cup games to recap but definitely some international matches around the globe involving our beloved Magpies. That’s because we’re in the middle of the last in-season international break of the campaign and that has brought friendlies and EURO qualifiers to the table.

Of course, this being Newcastle, a bunch of players have and will be involved in matchups during the past and upcoming days before either 1) attending a warm-weather camp or 2) returning to Tyneside to start training ahead of the clash against Man Red on April 2nd.

Here’s a recap of all that went on Thursday, Mar. 23, with more updates to come in the following days as games keep getting played throughout the final international break before the season ends in late May.

Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images

Kieran Trippier (England)

Match: ENG vs Italy (Euro 2024 Qualifier)

The English contingent flew to Italy to face the reigning European champions at the Stadio Diego Maradona in Naples and got away with the victory after beating the hosts 1-2 on their own turf.

It cannot be said that Gareth Southgate got things wrong considering the final result, but we as Magpies have to drop the hammer on the manager and say he’d have done better by using our boy Trippier on the right flank instead of Man City’s Kyle Walker. Anyway.

Trippier entered the pitch with the game already 1-2 in favor of England and just 10 minutes left to play, following the sent-off of left-back Luke Shaw in the 80th minute. Trippier replaced the offensive Phil Foden and did enough to help the Three Lions earn their first victory over Italy in more than 45 years after they defeated them for the last time in 1977.

Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images

Jamal Lewis (Northern Ireland)

Match: NIR vs San Marino (Euro 2024 Qualifier)

The no. 59 nation in the FIFA ranks faced the no. 211 one and the 2-0 result in favor of the former ended up being what everybody expected, and perhaps even shorter than it should have been.

Magpie Jamal Lewis started the game and spent 74 minutes on the pitch in which he put on a masterclass. Lewis logged an assist and completed 90% of his passes, 43-of-48 on Thursday, getting to touch the rock 73 times and completing successful dribbles in two of the three attempts he went for.

The crosses weren’t precise, not going to lie (2-of-7), but the lad made up for that defensively winning four-of-five duels he entered and, barring two-goal-hitter Dion Charles, turning into the most valuable man on the pitch for Northern Ireland.

Photo by Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images

Martin Dubravka (Slovakia)

Match: SLO vs Luxembourg (Euro 2024 Qualifier)

Dubby completed a 90-minute game for his nation at age 34 and played part in a 0-0 snoozefest in which he only had to make a couple of saves.

Dubravka was more active with his feet (24-of-30 passes completed) than he was at shot-stopping duties, so you get an idea of how things developed between Slovakia and Luxembourg on a cold March evening at Stadion Antona Malatinskeho.