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Rio Ave 3 Newcastle 1
Written by Newcastle Utd
Newcastle United suffered their first defeat of pre-season with a 3-1 friendly defeat away at Portuguese side Rio Ave on Saturday night
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
At the Estadio do Rio Ave
Rio Ave 3 (Hassan 6, 9; Braga 26)
Newcastle United 1 (Sh Ameobi 76)
Newcastle United suffered their first defeat of pre-season with a 3-1 friendly defeat away at Portuguese side Rio Ave on Saturday night.
The Magpies found themselves three down with just 26 minutes played, as a quick-fire brace from home front man Hassan was followed up by a strike from midfielder Braga.
Alan Pardew's side improved after the restart and posed much more of a threat in the second half but only had a Shola Ameobi consolation to show for their efforts.
And Rio Ave were left to rue a late penalty miss, which saw substitute goalkeeper Rob Elliot save Sandro Lima's late spot kick.
The hosts stunned Newcastle by taking a sixth-minute lead. Del Valle sent a cross in from the right which was hooked home past the despairing dive of Jak Alnwick by Hassan.
And the big front man wasn't done there, doubling his tally just three minutes later, having been afforded time and space to turn and get his shot away from inside the area.
United attempted a response as Yoan Gouffran looped a header well off target, but the Portuguese outfit were keeping the ball well and causing Alan Pardew's side problems down the flanks.
And they were rewarded with a third goal on 26 minutes. Once again it stemmed from Del Valle, who held off Steven Taylor's challenge down the left before crossing into the box.
The Magpies were unable to clear their lines and the ball fell kindly for midfielder Braga, who swept home from eight yards.
It took until ten minutes before the break for Newcastle to force home keeper Ederson into a meaningful save. Marveaux's left-footed curling strike was destined for the top corner until the intervention of the stopper's fingertips, turning the ball brilliantly over the bar.
Capitan Cabaye then fired a bouncing volley narrowly off target and another angled strike wide of the far post as the visitors looked for a way back into the contest.
And having threatened twice, the French midfielder came even closer with half-time approaching, crashing a long-range effort against the bar with Ederson completely beaten.
Boss Pardew rang the changes at the break and United looked brighter on the front foot, particularly through the pace and trickery of Gabriel Obertan and Sammy Ameobi.
Gouffran and Obertan both saw low shots fly wide of the upright before Shola Ameobi - a replacement for Gouffran - turned home Obertan's right-wing cross to give the visitors a glimmer of hope.
That was almost extinguished though in the 85th minute when Mike Williamson was adjudged to have bundled over Lima just inside the area.
The home substitute dusted himself off and took the kick but could not beat Elliot, who sprung to his left to beat the ball to safety.
Rio Ave (4-4-2): Ederson; Lionn, Marcelo, Wakaso, Andre Dias; Braga, Andre Villas Boas, Tarantini, Diego; Del Valle, Hassan
Substitutes: Bizarro, Angelo, Luis Gustavo, Silverio, Fernando, Murilo, Rafa, Diogo Goncalves, Sandro Lima, Andre Costa, Valkenedy, Renato Santos
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Jak Alnwick (Rob Elliot 46); Davide Santon (Mike Williamson 70), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Steven Taylor, Paul Dummett; Vurnon Anita (Adam Campbell 76), Yohan Cabaye (c) (Cheick Tiote 46); Sylvain Marveaux (Gabriel Obertan 46), Haris Vuckic (Moussa Sissoko 46), Jonas Gutierrez (Sammy Ameobi 46); Yoan Gouffran (Shola Ameobi 62)
Subs not used: n/a
Referee: Pedro Campos