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Krul: 'I Wish I Could Have Scored'
Written by Newcastle Utd
He did his bit against Metalist Kharkiv with a clean sheet, but Tim Krul was a frustrated figure as chances went begging on Thursday night
By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter
A frustrated Tim Krul watched Newcastle do everything but score in the second half against Metalist Kharkiv and admitted that he wished he could have popped up with a goal himself.
The Dutch goalkeeper kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 Europa League draw against the Ukrainian outfit and fully deserved it for fine first-half stops from Jose Ernesto Sosa and Cleiton Xavier.
But in the second period, as United attacked towards the Gallowgate end, it was one-way traffic in terms of chances, with Papiss Cisse in particular denied time and time again by Kharkiv keeper Olexandr Goryaniov.
The striker also had two goals disallowed for offside and Krul, speaking exclusively to nufc.co.uk in the post-match mixed zone, said: "I think we played really well - it's just a shame that we couldn't show that in goals.
"We should have won this game, definitely. We created so many chances but it's a shame we didn't finish them.
"I would have liked to have put it in the back of the net myself but I can't! But we have to take the positives as well; we played really well and we always create chances - just today we didn't score them."
The fans were in great voice at St. James' Park as they willed their team on to break the deadlock, and Krul was full of praise for the support. And he has called upon the Toon Army to back them once again in the Ukraine in seven days time.
"It was a really, really good noise," he said. "I think they definitely provided a good atmosphere for us so it was nice.
"They'll have to be careful for the second leg because it's far away but I know every away game, they're there so it'll be nice to get a good away support again and hopefully we can reward them with a few goals."
Krul knows that the trip to the Metalist Stadium will be a difficult one in more ways than one, but still believes the Magpies can finish the job and reach the last 16.
"It'll be a harder game, I think, at their place," he said. "They're a good side. You can't underestimate them because they've got some good techinical players and they had some chances as well, so we have to be careful.
"You don't know what to expect because it's a different side. We have to be sharp but we've still got a great chance. We kept a clean sheet, they haven't scored, so if we score one there that'll be good for us.
"Now we've got the advantage of being able to score an away goal so I think we've definitely got a good chance.
"It'll be a hard game but I think we can definitely go through to the next round if we be sharp and put some balls in the back of the net."
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