Benitez laments missed opportunities

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez rued a missed opportunity after his side suffered a penalty shoot-out loss to Hull City in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

The Championship leaders went down 3-1 on penalties after Jonjo Shelvey, Dwight Gayle and Yoan Gouffran failed to convert at KCOM Stadium on Tuesday.

The visitors had taken a 98th-minute lead through Mohamed Diame, but gave that up immediately as Robert Snodgrass equalised in the 1-1 draw.

Benitez hopes to see his team learn from their loss, which came despite playing extra time against 10 men following Dieumerci Mbokani’s red card.

“You have to be disappointed. The way that we played we deserved to score goals in the first half and in extra time,” the Spaniard said.

“Then when we did score the goal we didn’t manage the situation. It’s something you learn with experience.

“Maybe we will do a little better the next time we have this many chances.”

Hull manager Mike Phelan was delighted for his team, lauding their courage and character.

“On the night we performed heroically in the end and the players stuck to the task,” he said.

“We played against adversity at times, but we came through. We came from behind again and that is something we seem to have in our locker at the moment, although we’d rather not have to do it.

“We showed tremendous courage and spirit throughout against a very good Newcastle team that are serious contenders for promotion back to the Premier League.

“We’ve put in an exceptional performance under a lot of stress. Ten men, extra time and penalties, we’ve gone through the lot.”