Harvey Barnes Scores Two Goals as The Magpies Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his players, home supporters were concerned about a tough game. But those worries vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.
Game Flow and Initial Action
The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative style. Benfica certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to establish a smooth attacking rhythm.
Compounding the home team's issues, key players, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury each.
Prior to kick-off, the coaches shared a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the intensity at every chance.
Key Moments and Decisive Actions
Benfica's strategy yielded mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to break through the backline, they at first found it hard to create good opportunities.
Moreover, the Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.
Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.
Gordon's scorching pace had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick ball into the box paid off.
On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.
Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions
Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their players attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at half-time.
The opening period ended with the keeper once more rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the next period, everything seemed evenly poised.
If Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.
Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.
The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this thrilling game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk too far.
Harvey Barnes Seals the Match
Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese defender Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany centre-forward back. However, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.
Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope sent a superb throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.
After Barnes rolled a shot through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first European result of the campaign.
