Five talking points as silky Dortmund down Newcastle

Newcastle suffered a first defeat of their Champions League campaign as Edin Terzic's Borussia Dortmund turned in a tenacious performance on Tyneside.

Here are five talking points from another thrilling European night at St James' Park.

Special occasion

While Newcastle's continental pedigree ranks inferior to most of their European rivals, few will be able to rival the Toon this term when it comes to generating an atmosphere.

This was St James' Park at its breathtaking best, with a glorious tifo display backdropped by the iconic Champions League theme tune setting the pre-match tone quite perfectly.

As a noisy travelling support helped notch the decibels towards ear-splitting levels by kick-off, it was hard not to feel a thrill in having such a fabulous arena back in club football's premier competition. 

Spoiling the party

Having humbled the mighty Paris Saint-Germain on Matchday 2, Eddie Howe's hosts were well fancied to take care of Dortmund — but the Germans had not read the script.

Terzic's men could have been ahead inside a minute were it not for a reflex stop from Nick Pope, who would be called into action twice more inside the opening quarter of an hour.

Though Newcastle rode out that early storm, there could be few complaints when Felix Nmecha emphatically stroked the visitors ahead on the stroke of half time.

Fighting spirit

The Toon were never going to go down lightly and after a slightly shaky opening to the second period, they soon had wrestled command of the play.

Callum Wilson, introduced early from the bench for the injured Alexander Isak, should have buried from six yards when firing straight at Gregor Kobel — an opportunity the England man usually gobbles up.

There was more agony for Wilson as his glancing header hit the bar and when Anthony Gordon's injury-time effort also deflected onto the woodwork, the home side knew their luck was out.

Man of the moment

Much of the pre-match talk revolved around Sandro Tonali, with the Italian midfielder reportedly set to be handed a 10-month ban from professional football for breaching betting regulations.

Despite the noise around him, Howe had declared the 23-year-old available for selection and on 65 minutes saw fit to introduce him into the fray.

The home fans welcomed their marquee summer signing with a largely positive reception but it may prove the last they see of him for some time.

Wide open

Dortmund's impressive triumph, paired with a convincing win for PSG over AC Milan, has blown Group F wide open again.

The French side sit top on six points, with Newcastle and their Bundesliga conquerors locked on four and the Italians a further two points behind that duo.

At the halfway stage, it is anyone's guess who will progress out of fascinatingly-poised pool.