Harvey Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a tough match. But those fears vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.
Match Flow and Early Exchanges
The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their similar combative approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a smooth attacking rhythm.
Compounding Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued recovering from sickness and injury each.
Before kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and lowering the temperature whenever possible.
Key Moments and Decisive Actions
Benfica's tactic yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create clear opportunities.
Moreover, the Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an excellent single-hand save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.
But when Lukebakio directed a further attempt off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.
The England winger's blazing speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the area paid off.
When Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low cross across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.
Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions
From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to regroup at the break.
The opening period ended with the keeper again saving his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the next period, the match seemed evenly balanced.
While Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had different plans.
The manager's winger had already shown that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time he moved forward.
The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting the manager to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an additional forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk too far.
Barnes Wins the Game
Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had done a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's German striker deep. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.
Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before keeping impressive composure to fire a superb shot past Trubin.
When Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have several quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.
