Harvey Barnes Scores Two Goals as The Magpies Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his players, home fans feared a tough game. However such fears disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach would not cause pain for Howe's team.
Game Dynamics and Initial Action
The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's early attempts to build a fluent attacking tempo.
Compounding Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they were recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.
Prior to the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity whenever possible.
Critical Events and Turning Points
Benfica's strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle Benfica's backline, they at first found it hard to generate good opportunities.
Moreover, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England return in time for the World Cup.
Yet when Lukebakio directed another attempt against the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.
The England winger's scorching speed had created consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick ball into the area proved effective.
On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low cross across the goal for the winger to finish.
Second Half and Decisive Changes
From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.
The opening period ended with the keeper again rescuing his side by tipping Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.
If Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player set to alter the balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.
Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time he advanced.
The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Instead, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an additional forward in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.
Barnes Wins the Game
Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the way was open for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.
Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive composure to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.
After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have several quick wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first Champions League points of the campaign.
