Newcastle United are set to play their fourth friendly match of the summer when they face SC Braga tomorrow.
Newcastle United have a performance record of 1-2-0 after playing three friendly matches, with their most recent result being a 0-0 draw against FC Porto. The Magpies now prepare for their fourth preseason friendly as they take on SC Braga tomorrow.
SC Braga are an inferior side when compared to FC Porto, but they are a member of the standard Primeira Liga top five. SC Braga have finished in the top five of the league every year since 2008. In addition to the club’s domestic success, SC Braga have also been regular competitors in the UEFA Europa League.
Newcastle will have their hands full with an SC Braga side that boasted a +45 goal differential last season. Here are some things we can expect from Newcastle’s preseason clash in Portugal tomorrow.
Urgency in Midfield
Unlike their first two friendly matches, Newcastle were outplayed by FC Porto in midfield and up top. This was expected as FC Porto are considered superior opponents, but Newcastle will be expected to pick up the pace and energy against SC Braga.
Like Newcastle, SC Braga are a side that rely on their midfield to create to scoring opportunities. For that reason, the five Magpies in the middle third of the pitch will need to win more duels, recover the ball and create a passing rhythm that was non-existent against FC Porto.
Newcastle must also work to improve their aerial passing against SC Braga. The Magpies attempted several long-balls against FC Porto, but the accuracy was lacking. As a result, Newcastle were dependent on short, meaningless passes to move the ball around. Against SC Braga, Rafa Benitez will want to see his men utilizing the wings more and completing more ground passes to the front-line.
Collective Composure
The key to earning a positive result against SC Braga will be composure in midfield and defense. Approximately 46,000 fans were in attendance to watch FC Porto host Newcastle and the Magpies did well in standing their ground while being surrounded by a sea of blue in the stands.
The atmosphere will not be the same in this match, but the quality of football will be high. SC Braga have played well in their previous friendlies and will look to maintain that form. The Portuguese side scored 74 goals last campaign and they will run at Newcastle’s defense.
Jonjo Shelvey, Mohamed Diame and Ki-Sung-yueng will need to prepare for a busy evening as they will simultaneously assist the back-line and try to orchestrate counter-attacks. We can also expect Newcastle to be more efficient offensively as SC Braga’s defense is not as compact as FC Porto’s.