Harvey Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho
As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a difficult match. However those fears disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.
Game Flow and Early Exchanges
Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their similar combative style. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a fluent passing tempo.
Compounding the home team's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury each.
Prior to the start, the coaches shared a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and reducing the intensity at every chance.
Key Events and Decisive Actions
The visitors' tactic yielded varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle Benfica's backline, they initially struggled to generate good opportunities.
Moreover, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that required an terrific one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team return in time for the World Cup.
Yet when Lukebakio directed another attempt off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.
Gordon's blazing pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early ball into the box proved effective.
On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low cross across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.
Second Half and Decisive Substitutions
Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their players attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to reset at half-time.
The opening period ended with the keeper again rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the teams came out for the next period, everything seemed evenly poised.
If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger set to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.
The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.
The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.
Barnes Seals the Match
Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing the German striker back. However, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.
Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive poise to lash a superb strike past Trubin.
After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and three goals from two wingers had shattered his chances of earning the team's first Champions League result of the season.