Harvey Barnes Fires Twice as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Mourinho
As the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough match. But those worries disappeared thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.
Match Dynamics and Early Action
The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative approach. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' early attempts to establish a fluent passing rhythm.
Compounding the home team's challenges, two players, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they were recovering from illness and a knock respectively.
Prior to kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by slowing the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.
Critical Moments and Decisive Actions
The visitors' tactic yielded varied outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to generate good chances.
Additionally, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful shot that got an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an England recall in time for the global tournament.
Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the deadlock.
The England winger's blazing speed had caused problems for Mourinho all night, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the area paid off.
On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground ball across the goal for Gordon to finish.
Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes
From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their side attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably grateful to reset at the break.
The opening period concluded with Pope again rescuing his team by tipping the attacker's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed finely poised.
While Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.
The manager's winger had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he moved forward.
Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's manager to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk too far.
Barnes Seals the Game
Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's German striker deep. However, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the path was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.
The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping impressive composure to lash a superb strike past the keeper.
After Barnes rolled a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first European result of the season.
