Sacramento Republic 0-1 Newcastle United - Magpies Win Overshadowed By Haidara Red

There is never a "simple" friendly where Newcastle United are concerned. This one, in the sweltering California heat, brought a thunderbolt of an own goal, a disallowed effort, a controversial red card, an apoplectic Steve McClaren - oh, and a debut for the Magpies' new £14.5 million man. Georginio Wijnaldum - who wore the No 5 shirt, which the Magpies insist has not been confirmed as his squad number, despite the rumours - came off the bench to make his debut in the 69th minute and excite Toon supporters who were left bemused by Massadio Haidara's slightly harsh dismissal for a high boot just minutes earlier. James Kiffe scored an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime own-goal in the 48th minute to give Newcastle a slender victory - although David Estrada did have a goal disallowed for Sacramento just moments later - and that proved to be the difference, but it was Haidara's red card that was the major talking point.

McClaren described the decision as "garbage" as he made his feelings explicitly clear to the fourth official. The Magpies boss clearly felt the red card spoiled a pre-season friendly, but it was understandable why the referee did dismiss Haidara, even if it was slightly harsh. Thankfully the red card did not make a difference to the result - because, if it had, who knows how livid McClaren would have been. In terms of how the game panned out, battling temperatures upwards of 38-degrees Celsius in California's capital, Newcastle started the game slowly.

It was obvious from that early stage that McClaren's men were determined to continue along this new passing philosophy - and they were even keen to play it along the deck out of danger, somewhat recklessly on occasion. In yet another formation change for the beginning of this match - Newcastle lined up in a fluid 4-4-1-1, with Moussa Sissoko wide on the right and Siem de Jong just off Papiss Cisse - it took the Magpies a bit of time to settle into the game. Their first chance arrived on the nine-minute mark, with Gabriel Obertan breaking with pace down the right before centring to Sissoko, who flashed a shot way over the bar from the edge of the area. And one opportunity brought a second almost instantaneously. Obertan switched the play from one side to the other with a decent crossfield pass and, with Daryl Janmaat unmarked at the back post, the right-back took the strange decision to try to feed Sissoko rather than shoot himself, allowing Patrick McLain in the Sacramento goal to smother the ball. With Jack Colback seeing an effort blocked too, Newcastle were finally getting themselves into the game. Most notably, once more McClaren's men were determined to attack through their full-backs, with both Haidara and Janmaat getting forward regularly to whip balls into the box. But, with the full-backs getting so high up the field, that once again left Newcastle exposed defensively. Janmaat was forced to make a last-ditch header and then clear the ball off his own line within the space of 60 seconds on the 18-minute mark as Sacramento continued to look dangerous on the break. Rodrigo Lopez was arguably the Republic's most-impressive performer though, testing Tim Krul with two free-kicks - one which the Dutchman jumped high to his right to save, the other which he had to hit the deck to his left to tip out for a corner. Krul also denied dangerman Stewart in the first-half too, as Newcastle struggled to gain a foothold on the game. At half-time, the tourists trailed in the shots' department by five to three.

In fact, both Jack Colback and Vurnon Anita struggled with the pace - and gave away far too many silly, niggly fouls. At the beginning of the second-half, 18-year-old goalkeeper Freddie Woodman came on for Krul, while Steven Taylor replaced Jamaal Lascelles in the heart of the defence to make his first pre-season appearance. And NUFC started the second 45 in a completely different fashion. Haidara, for the second time in the opening three minutes of the second-half, whipped a dangerous cross from the left-hand side. With the ball bouncing in the six-yard box, Kiffe did not know how to deal with it - so decided to smash a right-footed half-volley past McLain and into the back of his own net. Simply bizarre. Newcastle had been unable to find the breakthrough themselves, so Republic duly decide to hand them one instead.

Yet just four minutes later, the home side should have been level. First, Danny Barrera's shot was saved well low by Woodman, only for Lopez to hit the post before Estrada passed the ball into the net at the third attempt - but he was offside. Lopez should have scored, as should Estrada 60 seconds later as Woodman again saved, and somehow Newcastle survived again. Then in the 65th minute came the controversial moment that left McClaren apoplectic. As the ball was played in the air across to the right, Haidara went in with his studs high and planted them into the chest of Barrera. The referee went straight for his pocket and brandished the red card. Although it was dangerous it certainly didn't seem intentional. Thankfully Wijnaldum's arrival, in place of Siem de Jong, in the 69th minute calmed Magpies supporters - and McClaren slightly - even if the Magpies head coach believed Ivan Mirkovic should have seen red and now yellow for an elbow on Colback. From then on, the game fizzled out somewhat until injury-time. First, Wijnaldum tested McLain with a 20-yarder, which he saved well, before Sacramento were denied a penalty with almost the very last kick as Cameron Iwasa was fouled in the box. But Newcastle had their victory, even if it had been overshadowed. McClaren will draw the positives from this one even though it was a far-from straightforward win - and Newcastle fans will relish seeing Wijnaldum in a Magpies shirt with 10 teammates on Tuesday night.

Sacramento Republic (4-4-2): McLain; Klimenta, Daly, Vukovic, Kiffe; Alvarez (Rivas 83), Barrera, Mirkovic, Lopez; Estrada (Guzman 55), Stewart (Iwasa 72) Subs Not Used: Jakubek, Foran, Bonvehi, Cazarez, Gissie, Gabeljic, Kaleemullah, Taublieb, Gonzalez, Motagalvan Bookings: Mirkovic, Lopez Newcastle United (4-4-1-1): Krul (Woodman 46); Janmaat, Williamson, Lascelles (Taylor 46), Haidara; Anita, Colback, Sissoko, Obertan (Aarons 69); De Jong (Wijnaldum 69); Cisse (Perez 69) Subs Not Used: Darlow, Ferguson, Satka, Abeid, Bigirimana, Gouffran Goal: Kiffe (OG, 48) Sent Off: Haidara (65) For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.